Into the Darkness: Book 2: The Journey
by TashaMoon
Summary: The quest for the Master Bolt is complete, but the next year brings its own challenges. The camp is dying and Luke is on the move. The quest for the Golden Fleece is now underway and Chiron is now in exile. With a new enemy on the rise, Allison must go on her own journey to help save the camp and her friends.
1. Chapter 1: Changes

**4/2/16:** Welcome to Into the Darkness: Book 2: The Journey. As a general note, if you have not read the first book I suggest taking a look, otherwise you might find yourself a bit lost.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Changes**

* * *

Last year, when Luke declared himself to be on Kronos's side in the upcoming war and tried to kill Percy I made a promise to myself that I would never let something like that happen again. It was too close a call for comfort, Luke almost succeeded and I would not lose another person if I could help it.

Throughout the school year I had been working on my endurance, improving my shadow traveling and even working a bit on my "earthy" powers. I would be prepared for the future. Either way, I was just glad I had never shown my ability to throw a knife before that last day of camp in front of Luke. Slowly but surely I had been working myself up to my old standards.

Nowadays Percy and I spent most of our time attending Meriwether College Prep. It was a kind of new type of "progressive" school that substituted chairs for beanbags and the teachers wore jeans and band T-shirts to their jobs. We didn't get grades either, at least not in the normal sense. It was very relaxed compared to other schools. Yeah, some of the kids were troublesome, but they were manageable - nothing compared to what was out there in the Greek world, anyway.

During the school year I had only had a few run-ins with monsters; a giant scorpion in Central Park near my birthday and a few dracaenae by Broadway in April. They weren't very hard to deal with though. Luckily they found me outside of school, otherwise our school probably wouldn't be overly fond of the resulting outcome.

What started out this adventure was a dream I had the night before the last day of the school year. It was fuzzy to try to recall, but I knew that it involved Luke and Kronos. Kronos was plotting something, talking about how their plan was coming along nicely after his failure. That was not comforting- Kronos and Luke plotting, the failure was most likely him failing to get the Master Bolt to Kronos. That one I could live with.

I woke up to Sally knocking on my door, coming inside to make sure I was awake. Moving into our new apartment was bit of an adjustment, the new location, and having a room to myself after so long. We were now living on the fifth floor of a nicer, cleaner building. It wasn't a huge apartment but it did its job so I liked it. It was a vast improvement from our last place with Gabe mucking things up.

"Come on, up and at 'em! Time to get ready, last day of school!" Sally said after giving my shoulder a small shake, then left to wake Percy.

I lay there for a minute trying to remember my dream better but I didn't have much luck. I sighed and rolled out of bed and got changed, double checking to make sure I had my necklace and bracelet with me. I would have worn the Chimera tooth necklace but I didn't want to have to deal with potential questions about it in school so it typically stayed home, along with the knife I brought from camp.

I pulled open my drawer and opened the little box I kept in the back behind my socks. Inside was the picture Chiron gave me last summer, it was of me and Nick. We were both posed in front of the camera, both laughing at something behind the photographer. Nick's sword was propped up in the dirt, his hand resting on the hilt as he rested his other elbow on my shoulder. We were twelve in that picture. I gave it a small smile before putting it away carefully back into the drawer, like I did most mornings.

I walked into the kitchen to see Sally laying out blue pancakes and some eggs for breakfast. By the time I was already seated and eating Percy came out, hair ruffled from sleep.

"Percy, fix your hair dude." I said as he sat down and leaned over to brush my hand through it to try to fix the mess. Percy seemed a bit out of it, which was odd for a day like today. You would think he would be bouncing off the walls - it was the last day of school after all. A distracted "Mhm" was all I got in response. Sally looked at our exchange and frowned.

"Percy, are you all right?" She dried her hands and sat down across the table from us. "School, or..." We all knew what she was talking about.

"I think Grover is in trouble," He told us, then described his dream. As he spoke I studied my breakfast in thought. If Grover was in the middle of an ocean or something that really complicated things.

When Percy was finished speaking I said quietly, "Ocean, not my forte. I might be able to get to him though if I knew where he was. Check in on him. Do you know exactly where?" He shook his head and Sally pursed her lips.

"I wouldn't be too worried, dear, Grover is a big satyr now. If there was a problem, I'm sure we would have heard from... from camp..." Her shoulders tensed ever so slightly at the word "camp". Immediately I knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked cautiously, her unease more apparent in the brief silence.

"Nothing. I'll tell you what, this afternoon we'll celebrate the end of school. I'll take you two and Tyson to Rockefeller Center- to that skateboard shop you like Percy, and maybe the old record store you like, Allison."

"Wait a minute, I thought we were packing for camp tonight." He said.

Sally twisted her dishrag. "Ah, dear, about that... I got a message from Chiron last night."

 _Chiron send an I-M and didn't tell me the problem?_ "What did he say?"

"He thinks... it might not be safe for you two to come to camp just yet. We might have to postpone."

"Postpone?" I asked while Percy blurted: "Mom, how can it not be safe? We're half-bloods! It's like the only safe place on earth for us!"

"Usually, dear. But with the problems they're having-"

"What problems?"

"What's going on at camp?" I questioned hastily.

"Percy, Allison... I'm very, very sorry. I was hoping to talk to you two about it this afternoon. I can't explain it all now. I'm not even sure Chiron can. Everything happened so suddenly."

My mind was running at a million miles-per-hour. _Camp not safe- Chiron saying we can't come?_ Then I remembered the bits of my dream. _Could it have to do with them?_ Before we could ask any more questions the kitchen clock chimed and Sally looked relieved.

"Seven-thirty, dears. You should go. Tyson will be waiting."

I pursed my lips, I wanted to stay and ask more questions, maybe even I-M Chiron myself, but I knew she was right. Tyson was afraid of traveling alone underground. I didn't want him to get upset so I went to the doorway and gathered my stuff with Percy. I had always been comfortable underground, which helped him, along with having someone in general to go with him.

"Mom, this problem at camp. Does it... could it have anything to do with my dream about Grover?" Percy asked.

She wouldn't meet his eyes and busied herself with cleaning up the table. "We'll talk this afternoon, dear. I'll explain... as much as I can." Reluctantly, we left to catch our train. Percy stopped suddenly once we stepped outside and I nearly bumped into him.

"What is it, Percy?"

"Huh? Oh... nothing." He started off again, glancing back at the brownstone across the street.

* * *

When we got to school we had to go to our English class, which Tyson was also a part of. Tyson was a sweet thing; he was a Cyclops, which I had discovered on our first day, but he gained my trust. I even nailed the school bully in the face for him, which instantly made him our friend and singled us out, but we didn't care.

Tyson was really just like a little kid, both in how he talked and his innocence- just a baby really in Cyclops terms. I knew he was just lonely and needed friends from that first day. Both Percy and I had grown protective over him despite what he was. I honestly didn't think Percy was aware that Tyson was a Cyclops, but that didn't really matter - it was how he acted that counted, and he was so sweet and innocent. What happened during English was good example of that.

We were sent out into the break yard for our "final exam", having read _Lord of the Flies_. It was the eighth graders and us seventh graders. Needless to say, two pebble fights, a full-tackle basketball game, and a wedgie contest came into being during that exercise. The leader of most of those activities often was Matt Sloan, the school bully I had slugged. Sloan was just like those rich delinquent kids Yancy had. He made the mistake of trying to give Tyson a wedgie and ended up being swatted fifteen feet away, tangled up into the tire swing. Tyson had panicked when Matt snuck up on him.

"You freak!" Sloan yelled as he detached himself from the swing. "Why don't you go back to your cardboard box!"

Tyson started sobbing as he sat down on the jungle gym, burying his head into his hands. I did my best to comfort him but he was still pretty upset.

"Take it back, Sloan!" Percy shouted. Matt just sneered.

"Why do you even bother, Jackson? You might have friends if you weren't always sticking up for that freak."

"He wouldn't need anyone to stick up for him if you didn't bully him, Sloan." I said, shooting a glare at him.

"Pff, like you would know." He said, which made no sense. "Just wait till PE, Jackson." He called to Percy. "You are so dead." I wasn't sure, but his comment made me more wary than it might have been on a different day. There seemed to be more goons hanging around the kid than usual.

I turned my attention back to Tyson. "Tyson, I will get you an extra peanut butter sandwich at lunch, buddy. Alright? Don't worry about what that idiot said, he doesn't know what he's talking about. You are better than he will ever be."

"Yeah, Tyson. Sloan is just a bully." Percy put in.

"I... I am a freak?" He asked sadly.

"No," Percy promised, but I caught him gritting his teeth. "Matt Sloan is the freak."

"Tyson, Sloan has his own issues that he takes out on others. You are not a freak. You are Tyson, you are a sweet person and he just can't see that over his big head. He is wrapped up in his own stuff and immature."

"You are good friends. Miss you next year if... if I can't..." His voice trembled and I patted him on the back.

"Don't worry, big guy." Percy said. "Everything's going to be fine."

Tyson smiled so happily that it made me feel a bit sad. Neither of us truly knew what would happen to him after this school year.

* * *

Meriwether College Prep was on the smaller side of populations as far as schools went, so I had a large chunk of my classes with the boys, but my next two periods were different from their schedules. During Gym there was a lot of activity in the hallways though we were told to ignore it and continue our game. We were just playing Sharks and Minnows mainly, Coach Nunley sitting at his desk reading a sports magazine.

My next class was Science with Mrs. Tesla. Our final exam was mixing chemicals until we caused something to explode. There was a faint smell lingering in the air of something that had been burning once I entered the room, and I saw a few orange marks running up the wall above the trash can, so I figured someone received an "A".

Mixing chemicals until something exploded was a very bad idea in my book, especially for middle school kids. Either way I just threw a bunch of the stuff into a test tube and watched it smoke, followed by a big puff of smoke as it made a miniature explosion.

Most of the day I found myself thinking back to this morning and what Sally said about Camp. I wanted so badly to just I-M Chiron, or even shadow travel there. I needed to know what was wrong.

During my next class, Social Studies, I bent down to pick up my pencil while doing the review and when I came back up there was a paper on my desk.

It read in Greek: _Allison, trouble. Will be with Percy, find us soon. -AC_

I recognized it immediately to be Annabeth's handwriting. I pocketed the note, taking a quick glance around the room only to come up blank. Nobody but the normal students were in here, the door was ajar though. _She must be using her invisibility cap. What are you doing so far from camp this early, Annabeth?_

Soon a few explosions echoed throughout the building and teachers started rushing to see what the problem was, students lingering by the doors. I got the feeling it had not come from the science lab.

"Wait here, do not move!" My teacher ordered and ran out of the classroom in the direction of the Gym. My thoughts went straight to Percy - the only logical explanation for this. My classmates were just looking around at each other but I threw down my books and ran out the door for the Gym.

By now sirens were sounding and there was a choppy voice coming through the loudspeakers. I ignored it all and ran, turning the corner to see a mass of teachers lead by our headmaster, Mr. Bonsai, trying to unlock the gym doors. From the glowing light and smoke coming through the cracks in the doorway I figured things were bad and ran into a broom closet. If the teachers couldn't get through the doors, then it was safe to say I wouldn't be able to easily do it with them around.

I focused my energy and shadow traveled into the gym, near the bleachers. What I saw was a wreck of a gym. The boy's locker room looked like dynamite had run its course and there were pot marks all over the walls, their source appearing to be flaming metal dodge balls. "Only us..." I muttered as I saw the end of a Laistrygonian bursting into a cloud of green flame.

There, standing with her knife out, was Annabeth- grimy and scratched up, but still Annabeth. She looked like she had been on the run for days too, like someone would look after a quest. Her eyes had a wild storm look to them and she had a backpack on. I ran up to them as Matt Sloan spoke.

"That's the girl... That's the girl-" I had no clue what he was talking about but Annabeth decided he needed to be punched in the nose, knocking him flat. _Huh, just like the first day._ _At least I'm not the only one._

"And you, lay off my friend." She barked down at him. I skidded to a stop before them.

"Got your note- what are you doing here and what _happened_?"

"Laistrygonian dodge ball." Annabeth supplied.

"Ah." So my guess was correct.

"Annabeth..." Percy stammered. "How did you... how long have you..."

"Pretty much all morning." She sheathed her knife and readjusted her backpack. "I've been trying to find a good time to talk to you, but you were never alone."

"That shadow this morning- that was-" Percy's face went beet red. "Oh my gods, you were looking in my bedroom window?"

"There's no time to explain!" Annabeth snapped, red-faced herself. "I just didn't want to-"

"There!" A teacher screamed. Mr. Bonsai had managed to get the doors to work and teachers and staff were pouring into the gym.

"Meet me outside," Annabeth said quickly. "And him," She pointed to Tyson, who was sitting with a fuzzy look on his face against the wall. Annabeth gave him a short look of distaste. "You'd better bring him."

"What?" Percy asked, confused.

"No time," She said. "Hurry!" She threw on her Yankees cap and vanished. The two of us were left standing in the middle of a burning gymnasium with our headmaster, half the faculty, and some police officers storming in. I quickly slouched and clutched my arm. We would not get out of this one easily.

"Percy Jackson? Allison Cooper?" Mr. Bonsai said. "What... how... you aren't even _in_ this class."

Matt Sloan of course chose that time to come around and look at Percy with a look of pure terror. "Percy did it, Mr. Bonsai! He set the whole building on fire! Coach Nunley will tell you! He saw it all!"

Coach Nunley finally decided to look up and say, "Eh? Yeah. Mm-hmm."

All of the adults turned to us.

I got a split second idea to try and ease the blame off us and went for it. I snapped my fingers, focusing hard on the Mist. The faces of the adults closest to us turned slightly blank as they looked to me. "Mr. Bonsai, it was Matt's friends that did this, I ran here once I heard it because I was worried about Percy. Percy would never do something like this, Matt is lying." I said as sincerely as I could, willing the Mist to work with me. A few of them gave small nods, as if understanding.

Percy grabbed his sword out of his ruined jeans and called to Tyson. I caught Percy's eye and gave him a pointed look to Tyson, then to him, then tilted my head toward the gaping hole in the wall. His eyes were wild from the fight but he nodded. I knew he wouldn't get out of this one very easily, he was going to be thrown to the wolves - I just hoped my attempt at the Mist confused them enough to lessen the blow.

"Come on!" He told Tyson and the two of them jumped through the hole in the side of the building.

"What are you all waiting for? The building is burning, we need to get everyone out!" I said, trying to get their attention away from Percy's escape but I saw their faces turning back to normal.

Mr. Bonsai just raised an eyebrow as some of the adults went to help the kids that were still scattered around the gym.

"Um... bye!" I turned on my heel and ran for the Girl's locker room, throwing open the door and leaving a confused, slightly indignant Mr. Bonsai in the dust. I pulled the door shut, hit the lights, and used the shadows coming from the little light poking through to bring myself outside the school.

I landed in the shadow of a building further down the street and saw two police cars, tailed by a fire truck go flying past me, heading for the school. I began walking down the street in search of Percy and Annabeth. I was just glad I hadn't come from Gym, otherwise I would stand out like a sore thumb with our Gym uniforms like Percy and Tyson probably were.

Another minute passed and yet another cop car came whizzing down the street and just as I started to run for cover a car that could only be described as a misty tai flew by. I somehow was able to catch sight of Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson all squeezed inside the back. Whatever it was I trusted that it was all a part of Annabeth's plan to get them to camp. She probably knew I could get myself there and left me behind to try damage control and tell Sally. _Alright, that I can do._

I found the nearest alley and brought myself into the hallway outside our apartment. I took a brief moment to steady myself, fished the key from my pocket, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. I exhaled a long breath, leaning against the now closed door. Of course something just _had_ to go wrong on the last day, just our luck. I flipped on the lights. Sally was at work right now at the candy shop so I would have to leave a note. I made my way into the back bedrooms and took out the old backpack I used for last year's quest.

"Alrighty, going to camp early... what will I need..." I sifted through my small closet. I pulled out some clothes and basic supplies, a small bag of spare drachmas, and my backup knife from the drawer. I hesitated, hand hovering over the box containing the picture of me and Nick. Did I want to risk it getting ruined? I needed to get a copy of it so I didn't have to worry about ruining the last picture I had of him.

I pushed the drawer shut again, snatching my Chimera tooth necklace and slipping it over my head, tucking away the tooth. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and went into Percy's room. I packed whatever I thought he could need into a spare bag and went to the kitchen to leave a note.

Dropping the bags in the doorway I opened the fridge in search of our reserve bottle of nectar. I had to move a carton of eggs and some of last night's meal from my path before I found it behind a sports drink. I unscrewed the top and took a quick swig of the godly drink, the taste of my mother's caramel filling my mouth. I would need the extra energy to get the rest of the way to camp.

I screwed the top back on and hid it back in the fridge. I searched around for some note paper and a pen, and once I gathered them I scribbled down a brief note to Sally describing what happened and that we were going to camp. I was pretty sure I spelled Laistrygonian wrong, but I figured she would get the gist of it.

I actually cringed when I heard the phone ringing, probably the school. It wouldn't surprise me after what just happened, even if the Mist only made them a bit more confused. I put the note down on the table as the answering machine went off, Mr. Bonsai's furious yet slightly morose voice coming through the speaker, I winced. Sally would have a big mess to clean up when she got home. I ignored the message and went back to the doorway.

Scooping up the bags I shut off the light, the afternoon light filtering in through the windows. "And away I go." I stepped into the shadow of the couch and was off. I pulled myself through the shadows, clutching onto our bags and focused in on the Big House basement. Typically nobody ever went down there so it should be safe, I could dip into the ambrosia supply there if need be once I arrive too.

After landing in the Big House basement I pressed my hand to the cool wall to let the moment of dizziness pass. Once it did I climbed the stairs and opened the door leading to the main level. I started to really become aware of this one weird type of feeling , it had started once I arrived downstairs but I couldn't pinpoint it. It was like something was different with the camp, or there was a really sick or injured camper nearby. Normally that wouldn't stand out too much to me, but this time it did. It felt like more than just a simple sickness or injured demigod. The whole place was off.

I slid myself through the door with the bags, tossing them onto the couch in the living room as I passed.

"Chiron?" I called, knowing that sometimes at this time of day he would be filling out papers or organizing camp funds.

"Allison Cooper? In here." I heard him call from his office from his wing of the Big House. His voice sounded odd, not its usual tone. Strained almost. As I opened the door I heard some old music playing and he was busy packing.

"What's going on, Chiron?" I didn't like the sight I was seeing.

"Ah, that is a difficult subject. I was not expecting you to be here."

"Chiron..." But his ears twitches slightly and he turned his head.

"I believe there is something happening on the hill, would you investigate that for me, please?" I knew he was trying to avoid the obvious questions but I nodded anyway.

"This isn't over, Chiron. I'll be right back." I left him to his own devices and went to the front of the wraparound porch. Looking out at the hill I saw a horrible sight. Thalia's pine tree was a sickly yellow and smoke was rising up from the hillside. I then saw something that made my stomach lurch: a bronze bull the size of a full grown elephant was rampaging across the hillside, campers scattering in its wake.

"Styx!" I started running full tilt to the fight. As I grew closer I heard Clarisse's distinct voice shouting.

"Let me go! Percy, curse you!" I saw her and Percy at the base of the pine, more shouts coming from the fight. The closer I got I realized that there was not just one bull, but two. The first one had started in a wide arch inside the border and the second had turned to face Percy and Clarisse, fire blazing out of a gash on its flank.

I nearly tripped, foot catching on something in the grass. It was a spear- most likely lost by a camper during the battle, likely having rolled down the hill. I scooped it up and continued running. Percy was busy dodging the second bull. He rolled to the side and cut its muzzle. I watched him trying to stand again but his leg buckled underneath him.

The first bull was charging straight at him.

"Tyson, help him!" Annabeth shouted. I wouldn't be able to shadow travel quickly enough to where he was with all these campers around, let alone after the three consecutive trips I just did. Tyson was struggling against the camp barrier and Annabeth called out, letting him through the borders. Tyson dove in front of Percy just as the bull unleashed a firestorm almost like the Chimera did at the Arch. I heard Percy yell Tyson's name in panic, Tyson completely engulfed in flames.

When the flames died down Tyson was still there, his clothes now scorched but otherwise unaffected. I ran up to Percy's side, sliding the last bit and crouching next to him, pulling his arm over my shoulder and standing him up. I started to try to get him away from the bull but Tyson had it covered, taking advantage of its brief pause, maybe out of surprise at not seeing Tyson as a pile of ashes.

"BAD COW!" Tyson balled his fists and slammed them into the bull's face, creating a crater where its shout used to be as it tried to start up another fire burst. The fire welled up and shot out of its ears, the main passage blocked.

"Down!" The bull staggered and fell onto its back, legs moving like an upside-down turtle, steam pouring the cracks in its ruined head.

Annabeth came up to us, checking over Percy and giving me a small nod. She pulled some nectar out for him as I helped him keep the weight off his ankle.

"The other bull?" He asked.

Annabeth pointed downhill. Clarisse had successfully speared the second cow through the back leg with a spear. It was running in slow motion circles now, like a broken windup toy. She pulled off her helmet and marched over to us. Some of her hair was smoldering but she didn't seem to care, and I didn't bother pointing it out. "You-ruin-everything!" She yelled. "I had it under control!"

"Good to see you too, Clarisse." Annabeth grumbled.

"Argh!" She screamed. "Don't ever, EVER try saving me again!"!

"I think this belongs to one of your wounded campers - you know, the ones lying hurt on the hill." I tossed her the spear I had picked up. That seemed to sober her up. Even the rough and tough daughter of War cared about her soldiers.

"I'll be back," she growled and proceeded to trudge off to do a check.

"You didn't die." Percy said, staring at Tyson in amazement.

Tyson looked down, embarrassed. "I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you."

"My fault." Annabeth said. "I had no choice. I had to let Tyson cross the boundary line to save you. Otherwise you would've died."

"Let him cross the boundary line?" He asked, putting down his foot and removing his arm from my shoulder. "But-"

"Percy, have you ever looked at Tyson closely? I mean... in the face. Ignore the Mist, and really look at him." He looked intently at Tyson. I frowned slightly, not knowing how exactly Percy would react. Knowing him he would probably be a bit shocked at first, but I had faith that in the end he would still be Tyson's friend.

"Tyson," Percy stammered. "You're a..."

"Cyclops," Annabeth offered. "A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls. Tyson's one of the homeless orphans."

"One of the what?"

"They're in almost all the big cities," Annabeth said distastefully and I found myself taking a step closer to Tyson. "They're... mistakes, Percy. Children of nature spirits and gods... Well, one god in particular, usually... and they don't always come out right. No one wants them. They get tossed aside. They grow up wild on the streets. I don't know how this one found you, but he obviously likes you two. We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do.

"He can understand you, you know, Annabeth." I told her, but at the mention of Chiron my worries came back, temporarily forgotten during the attack. I didn't like what I saw when I was in Chiron's office.

"But the fire. How-" Percy started.

"He's a Cyclops." Annabeth paused, like she was remembering something. "They work in the forges of the gods. They have to be immune to fire. That's what I was trying to tell you."

Percy looked shocked but Clarisse didn't give him much time to think it over as she marched back over to us. "Jackson, come on. We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what happened."

" _What?_ " I asked sharply, head snapping around to face her. " _Who?_ "

"Tantalus?" Percy asked.

"The activities director," Clarisse said impatiently. _Chiron, what the heck are you doing?_

"Chiron is the activities director. And where's Argus? He's head of security. He should be here."

Clarisse made a sour kind of face. "Argus got fired. You three have been gone too long. Things are changing."

"But Chiron... He's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?"

"That happened." She snapped, pointing to Thalia's tree. I took a step closer to the tree and pressed my hand against the bark. _So_ that _is what felt so off... Thalia. Her tree is poisoned and it's affecting all of camp._ Her spirit as still inside the tree somehow, I could sense it. She wouldn't be down in the Underworld if this much of her was still here. She reinforced the magical borders of camp now. Something had always felt off about the tree.

I looked up at the sickly yellowed needles on the branches, then to the ones at my feet. In the center of the trunk, about a meter off the ground was a puncture mark that oozed green sap. _This is what Sally needed to tell us. They tree is dying, along with Thalia's spirit._

* * *

 **AN:** Hello new and old readers! I just wanted to post a quick few notes: I post once a week, usually at the end of the week. I always post (The story is fully written out and I do a check edit before I post) unless something comes up and I am unable to get to my computer or something of that nature. As you may have noticed, this is the second book in my Into the Darkness series. Book 1 was about Allison's entrance into her new life and mostly surrounding the Master Bolt quest. This book focuses around the Golden Fleece quest. It may be a bit boring to begin with but it will pick up soon. Each chapter is at least 3k, if it is a short chapter I always post two to make up for it but I am pretty sure all Book 2's chapters are at least 3k. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it. I will cut this here, be sure to let me know what you thought of it so far, and have a fantastic day/week!

Note: Story Cover Picture Line-art by Incredibru (Check her out, she rocks) Color & Background by myself


	2. Chapter 2: Tyson is Claimed

**4/9/16:** Thank you for all your interest with this story! Made my week and reminded me just how much of an amazing feeling/experience it is.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Tyson is Claimed**

* * *

Tyson was in awe of the camp as we made our way to the Big House from the hill. It was hard to resist just shadow traveling right in there, storm into Chiron's office ,and demand answers, but I had to walk with everyone else. Camp still looked the same, minus the tree, but now the sense of things being skewed was ever more present.

Then there was the matter of the name Clarisse had said. _Tantalus._ I felt anger rising in my chest. If it really was the Tantalus I was thinking it may be then he was out of the Underworld, his punishment, and trying to steal Chiron's position. _Nobody_ takes Chiron's spot in camp. The urge to knock some heads was growing the longer I was in camp. _I am going to kill him._

"Whasthat!" Tyson had gasped multiple times, pointing to different facilities in the camp.

Percy explained about the cabins and Tyson's awe seemed to shift to Percy. Tyson had always been closer with Percy, both of them being guys and all. We were still friends, but Percy and Tyson had something special and that didn't bug me. "You... have a cabin?"

"Number three." Percy pointed to the Poseidon cabin.

"You live with friends in cabin?"

"No. No, just me."

"No Allison?" Tyson asked and Percy shook his head. I caught him stealing a hesitant glance in my direction but I ignored it. That whole thing was old news in my book. Hades had never had a cabin in camp despite being one of the Big Three, nor did any god not on the Olympian Council. Percy was alone in his cabin. I had long since been resigned to this fact but it still seemed to make Percy and Annabeth a bit uncomfortable when speaking about me staying in the Hermes cabin. I knew if the cabins weren't sorted by parent I would probably be staying with Percy or Annabeth, but that wasn't the way things worked around here.

When we finally entered Chiron's apartment he was still listening to his music, packing his bags with some small trinkets.

"Chiron-" I started but Tyson suddenly cried "Pony!" in his excitement upon seeing Chiron.

"I beg your pardon?" Chiron turned, looking offended. Had the situation been different I probably would have laughed at his face and never let him forget about this moment, but this was not that situation.

"Chiron, what's happening? You're not... leaving?" Annabeth asked in a shaky voice as she ran up and hugged him.

Chiron ruffled her hair and gave her a kind smile. "Hello, child. And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year! Allison, long time no see." I was not amused.

"Chiron, tell me what is going on right now and why the heck Clarisse said _Tantalus_ was the new activities director." I set him with a hard look.

"Clarisse said you were... you were..." Annabeth continued.

"Fired." Hi eyes glinted in dark humor. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."

"But you, Chiron? Really?" I said in disbelief.

"Besides himself, you mean." Percy growled.

"But this is crazy!" Annabeth cried. "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with the poisoning of Thalia's tree!"

"Nevertheless," he sighed. "Some Olympians do not trust me now, under the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" Percy asked as I felt my face darken. I knew exactly what he meant - they didn't trust him because of Kronos. Chiron had the misfortune of being his son, but Chiron was probably the most trustworthy being out there- at least by my book. Zeus needed to remember that he was a son of Kronos too, and those on his counsel would be more likely than Chiron of all people to do anything like what they were insinuating.

As it was, Chiron's own face darkened as he stuffed a Latin-English dictionary into his saddle bag. Even Frank Sinatra playing wasn't making this any better.

Tyson, I realized, was still staring at Chiron in amazement. He whimpered, as if he wanted to pet Chiron but was afraid to come closer. "Pony?"

"Tyson, shh..." I whispered softly.

"My dear young Cyclops! I am a centaur." Chiron sniffed a bit indignantly.

"Chiron, what about the tree? What happened?" Percy asked.

Chiron shook his head sadly. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something from the Underworld, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus" That killed that idea, but maybe I could still get information on it down below.

"Chiron, I might be able to-"

"Allison," he cut me off, voice firm. "I forbid you from doing anything of the nature."

"Chiron! What about Tantalus then, huh? Do you really just expect me to sit back and _not_ do anything if it is actually him?"

"Yes, remember your situation. Mr. D has him on 'special assignment' until he decides otherwise."

"Chiron!" He fixed me with a stern look and I gritted my teeth, reluctantly nodding. In my mind I wanted to say some things about where the god of wine got off dictating where the dead went and where he could put his 'special assignment'.

"Still won't stop me from making his life a living hell if he acts out of line..." I grumbled, which caused Chiron to sigh.

"Chiron, but we know who's responsible, right? Kro-"

"Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Percy. Especially not here, not now."

"But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his idea. He'd get Luke to do that, that traitor."

"Perhaps," Chiron said. "But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and cannot cure it. The tree only has a few weeks of life left unless..."

"Unless what?" Annabeth asked quietly.

"No," Chiron said. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago." My mind was trying to dig up whatever he could be talking about but came up blank.

"What is it?" Percy asked. "We'll go find it!"

Chiron closed his saddle bag and pressed the stop button on his music. He turned and rested his hand on Percy's shoulder, looking him straight in the eyes. "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want either of you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here, stay here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."

"Why?" Percy persisted. "I want to do something! We can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be-"

"Overrun with monsters," Chiron said with a glance to me. "Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took your life."

At this point I could tell Annabeth was trying hard not to cry. I almost felt like I wanted to too, but I refused to let myself. A growing pit of anger was forming though in place of the sadness. _This is all his fault- Kronos. First you get me killed, then you try to kill Percy, now you poison the tree of a girl who died protecting her friends, thereby threatening all of camp itself._ I had to figure out something, I refused to just sit back in this matter.

"Stay with them, child." He told Annabeth as he brushed a tear from her cheek. "Keep each other safe. The prophecy-remember it."

"I-I will."

"Um..." Percy broke in. "Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me in it, possibly Allison, but the gods have forbidden you from telling us about it?"

The room was silent.

"Right, just checking." He muttered.

"Chiron..." Annabeth started. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp-"

"Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger," he insisted. "Swear upon the River Styx."

"I-I swear it upon the River Styx." Annabeth said and thunder rumbled outside. I stared at the pen basket on Chiron's desk, not wanting to meet his eyes, fist clenched. _This can't be happening._

"Allison, you are to stay out of trouble too. I expect you to know by now when to pick your fights. But very well." Chiron said, and he seemed slightly more relaxed, if only slightly. "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved... one way or another."

Annabeth stifled a sob and my fingernails were biting into my palms, jaw set. Chiron patted Annabeth's shoulder awkwardly. "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D and the new activities director. We must hope... well, perhaps they won't destroy camp quite as quickly as I fear."

The conch horn blew in the distance across the valley, signaling dinner.

"Go," Chiron said. "You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, Percy, and let her know you two are safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning. You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment the titan lord has forgotten you!" With that he clopped out of the apartment and down the hall. I looked away. Tyson called after him, "Pony! Don't go!"

Tyson was bawling almost as bad as Annabeth. I felt bad leaving them in this state but I knew I needed to catch up with Chiron before he got too far. I gave Percy's shoulder a quick squeeze, telling him where our bags were, and took off after the centaur.

I was able to catch him at the top of the hill, the setting sun painting the sky in the distance.

"Chiron! Chiron wait!" I sprinted the last length between us and stuck myself right in his path.

"Chiron, stop this! You can't be serious, the camp is dying and you expect me to believe that you are going off to go sit back and drink Root Beer with the other centaurs? You've got to be kidding me! I _know_ you have something planned- this can't just be it. Chiron, camp needs you... I need you."

I took a deep breath, staring intensely into his brown eyes.

"You know as well as I do that if you leave camp it is going to be run into the ground by the end of July. Chiron, nobody really knows what it was like before... you can't just leave these campers here, you are their last line of defense! Or leave me here... You are one of the few people I have left in this world and I'll be damned if I let you slip away like everyone else."

I felt myself shaking as I spoke. "This isn't the end. I know you are not giving up. Don't lie to me and just walk away. The tree- _Dammit, you cannot just give up on this, Chiron!"_ I punched him in the shoulder of his horse half, breathing hard.

Chiron gently took hold of my hand before I could pull away."Allison, you will not be alone, you will have Perseus and Annabeth here with you. I trust you to be able to manage without me. It may be difficult, yes, scary even, but at the same time we all must branch out and live on our own. I cannot always be there. Your past does not have to define your future." He heaved a sigh then leaned down, lowering his voice.

"I admit, you are correct though. As you put it, I will not just be sitting back drinking Root Beer. I have my connections, three thousand years have given me many. I will be in contact, you must follow along for the time being." He opened a saddle bag and pulled out a drachma, pressing it into my palm. "If you need me... only for an emergency."

He took a step back and released my hand. "I trust you to not add to the inevitable havoc. I know you, and I know Annabeth and Percy. I do not wish for them to attract trouble, but I fear that that may very be the case. I am trusting you to help keep things in check for me here, you know how things are supposed to be run. But I must take my leave now. Go to dinner, and please, try not to bite the new activities director's head off for me." He had a small smile on his face at that last comment.

"Goodbye for now, Allison. Also, on a side note, that new ring of yours- I have gotten to mention it." I glanced down at the hand I had punched him with to see my silver Cerberus ring I found at the Lotus last year. "Silver can be a useful tool, a nice piece for a weapon too, if I do say so myself. Quite like Nicholas's if you ask me." He winked and patted me on the head. Pursing my lips I put the drachma into my pocket and stepped forward to give him a big hug.

"Okay, bye, Chiron. Good- good luck. Stay in contact." I didn't want to let go of the man who has become like a father to me, to let him go off into exile, but I released him. We parted ways in the slowly disappearing evening light under Thalia's sickened tree. I watched him disappear down the hill, stopping to give me one last wave before running off at centaur speeds.

 _So he does have a plan, I was right._ Everything was just so complicated right now. Here was Chiron being sent off at a critical point in the camp's survival, almost getting away while leaving almost everyone in the dark to his plans. I knew him too well at this point, I hadn't wanted to believe that this was just the end, that wasn't Chiron. Even though the gods were stupid enough to send him away and hire somebody else in his place, he still was fighting for the camp. I didn't know what his plans were exactly yet, but I was now confident that there was at least some hope left. Camp without Chiron... that wasn't camp. He was the heart of the camp.

I took a deep breath, pushing the tears from my face, and walked back down to the dining hall with one last look to where Chiron last stood. _Time to meet the new activities director._

* * *

Luckily I reached the pavilion as the lines were falling in. I found my place in the Hermes cabin line and followed. Travis and Connor Stoll now appeared to be the heads of the cabin, stepping up after Luke forfeited his place when he turned traitor.

As I sat there I peered around to the head table, mind still on Chiron. Dionysus was up there in his usual leopard-patterned Hawaiian with his forever pudgy belly and blotchy red face. The poor satyr behind him looked extremely nervous as he peeled the skin off some grapes for the god.

When I spotted the other person sitting at the table I had to resist throwing my knife. Sitting there was indeed the Tantalus I didn't want it to be. He was just sitting there, decked out in his threadbare orange jumpsuit, number displayed on the breast. The blue shadows under his eyes contrasted strongly against his pale skin, along with his dirty fingernails and grey hair. He stood out like an elephant in a herd of horses, at least to me anyway.

"Who invited that?" Some kid from the Apollo table murmured not so discreetly when Percy lead Tyson into the pavilion.

I turned to see who it was but I couldn't identify the kid.

"Well, well, if it isn't Peter Johnson. My millennium is complete." Dionysus said from his spot at the table.

"Percy Jackson... sir." Percy said with gritted teeth.

"Yes. Well, as the younger people say these days: Whatever." Then to Tantalus. "This boy, you need to watch. Poseidon's child, you know." _What is this, some reality gossip show?_

"Ah!" Tantalus said, clearly having heard of Percy prior to this encounter. "That one."

"I am Tantalus," he said with a cold smile and I caught Percy sending a brief sideways glance in my direction. "On special assignment here until, well, until my Lord Dionysus decides otherwise. And you, Perseus Jackson, I do expect you to refrain from causing me any more trouble, or your little friend as I hear it."

"Trouble?" Percy demanded.

Dionysus snapped his fingers and a newspaper appeared on the table. I assumed the front page was something about our departure from Meriwether given Percy's reaction to it.

"Yes, trouble." Tantalus said with satisfaction. By now the whole pavilion had quieted to hear the exchange. "You caused plenty of it last summer, I understand." I clenched my hand around the bench at that comment. I started to stand but one of the Hermes girls I knew from last year put a hand on my shoulder.

"You don't want a part of that, trust me." She whispered and I reluctantly sank back down into my seat.

Tantalus was brought a plate of barbecue and he licked his lips, ironically ordering a Root Beer.

"Go on, then, old fellow." Dionysus said with a sparkle in his eyes. "Perhaps now it will work." _Fat chance._ Tantalus grabbed for the glass but it scooted away just before he could lay a finger on it. Some drops of the drink had spilled and he tried to get them with his fingers but given his movements it was safe to say the drink did not agree with his sentiment. Tantalus then tried to stab some of his food but the whole plate flew away from him, soaring off the table and going straight into the brazier. P _erfect ten dive._ I smiled.

"Blast!" Tantalus muttered.

"Ah, well," Dionysus said with clear false sympathy. "Perhaps a few more days. Believe me, old chap, working at this camp will be torture enough. I'm sure your curse will fade eventually." _Sure it will, and bunnies will sprout wings and take flight._

Tantalus muttered something while staring at Dionysus's drink.

"You're that spirit from the Fields of Punishment," Percy said, speaking up from the display. "The one who stands in the lake with the fruit hanging over you, but you can't eat or drink."

Tantalus sneered at him. "A real scholar, aren't you boy?"

"You must have done something really horrible when you were alive." Percy said, actually sounding mildly impressed. "What was it?"

Tantalus's eyes narrowed and behind him satyrs were shaking their heads frantically, trying to warn him. _If he so much as lifts his hand I will lodge my knife in it._

"I'll be watching you, Percy Jackson." Tantalus said. "I don't want any problems at my camp." I had to muffle my snort.

"Your camp has problems already... sir."

"Oh, go sit down, Johnson," Dionysus sighed. "I believe that table over there is yours-the one where no one ever wants to sit." I gripped the bench tighter. Tantalus I _might_ be able to get away with, but Dionysus was god, even if he was a poor excuse for one.

"Come on, Tyson." Percy said, ignoring the comment.

"Oh, no," Tantalus said. "The monster stays here. We must decide what to do with it."

"Him," Percy snapped. "His name is Tyson." I took advantage of my table standing up to go sacrifice food to go over to the head table. I came up next to Percy and set my plate down on the table within clear view of the cockroach.

"Is there a problem here?" I asked, already very aware of the issue.

"Tyson saved camp," Percy insisted. "He pounded those bronze bulls. Otherwise they would've burned this whole place down."

"Yes," Tantalus sighed. "And what a pity that would've been."

"Oh, I'm sure it really would be for you, _Tantalus_. We would all hate to see what would happen if your new place of... what was it? _Assignment_ , were to be burned down. I would hate to see you have to return to your previous location. But that won't be an issue now, will it, thanks to Tyson?" I said smoothly, not missing the chance to make a dig.

Tantalus gaped at me and Percy stepped on my foot in warning. I shoot him a look but stayed quiet. I think Dionysus was actually a bit amused at my comment given the look in his eye.

"And who would you be?" Tantalus asked tightly.

"Allison Cooper, unclaimed." Tantalus laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't laugh if I were you, friend. You never know the crazy things that might happen." I said, purposefully pulling what I liked to call a cliché "child of the Underworld" grin. He leaned back slightly in response. _Good._

"Leave us," Tantalus ordered. "While we decide this creature's fate."

"He is probably smarter than you, actually. Just saying." I tossed casually over my shoulder as I turned away, picking up my plate mad making sure he got a nice big whiff of the brisket as it passed. He looked at my plate longingly.

Tyson looked at us with his big brown eye. I knew I couldn't directly disobey a direct order from the camp directors, but I would be sure to make Tantalus's stay here interesting for him.

"We'll be right over at our tables, big guy." Percy promised Tyson."Don't worry. We'll find you a good place to sleep tonight.

Tyson nodded. "I believe you. You are my friend." I shot Tantalus another look, deliberately pushing some of the best looking brisket into the flames and walked back to the Hermes table. I saw Percy go up and push some of his pizza into the flames and go back to his own seat, head down.

It wasn't too long after we started eating that Tantalus had a satyr blow the conch horn to get our attention for announcements, which felt a bit redundant. I took pleasure in knowing that all it would have taken Chiron was a stomp of his hoof.

"Yes, well," he said once the talking died down, considerably a longer amount of time than for Chiron. "Another fine meal! Or so I am told." I noticed him slowly inching his hand toward his refilled dinner plate as he talked, as if maybe his food wouldn't notice and grinned when it shot away down the table before he even got within six inches of it.

"And here on my first day of authority," he continued. "I'd like to say what a pleasant form of punishment it is to be here. Over the course of the summer, I hope to torture, er, interact with each and every one of you children. You all look good enough to eat." _Not on my watch, Bub._

Dionysus clapped politely and some satyrs halfheartedly joined. Poor Tyson was still standing at the head table looking uncomfortable and every time he tried to scoot out of the limelight Tantalus pulled him back.

"And now some changes!" Immediately I was on guard. "We are reinstating the chariot races!"

My jaw dropped as murmuring broke out at all the tables in the pavilion.

"Now I know," Tantalus continued, raising his voice to compensate for the talking. "That these races were discontinued some years ago due to, ah, technical problems."

"Three deaths and twenty-six mutilations." Someone from the Apollo table called.

"Yes, yes! But I know you will all join me in welcoming in the return of this camp tradition. Golden laurels will go to the winning charioteers each month. Teams may register in the morning! The first race will be held in three days time. We will release you from most of your regular activities to prepare your chariots and choose your horses. Oh, and did I mention, the victorious team's cabin will have no chores for the month in which they win?" Everyone's head perked up at this as I scowled. _You just want to bait everyone into joining in hopes they get killed and make them more driven to try to win._

Surprisingly it was actually Clarisse who stood to object.

"But, sir!" She said, looking nervous. Some campers around the pavilion snickered when a sign on her back that read "YOU MOO, GIRL" came into view. "What about patrol duty? I mean, if we drop everything to ready our chariots-"

"Ah, the hero of the day," Tantalus exclaimed. "Brave Clarisse, who single-handedly bested the bronze bulls!

Clarisse blinked, then blushed. "Um, I didn't-"

"And modest too," Tantalus had a wide grin on. "Not to worry, my dear! This is a summer camp. We are here to enjoy ourselves, yes?"

"But the tree-"

"And now," Tantalus said as multiple cabin mates of hers pulled her back down into her seat. "Before we proceed to the campfire and sing-along, one slight housekeeping issue. Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Allison Cooper have seen fit, for some reason, to bring this here." He waved a hand toward Tyson.

"Now, of course," he said. "Cyclops have a reputation for being bloodthirsty monsters with a very small brain capacity. Under normal circumstances, I would release this beast into the woods and have you hunt it down with torches and pointed sticks. But who knows? Perhaps this Cyclops is not as horrible as most of its brethren. Unless it proves worthy of destruction, we need a place to keep it! I've thought about the stables, but that will make the horses nervous. Hermes's cabin, possibly?"

The whole table around me was silent. My hand was gripped tight around the hilt of my camp knife, forcing myself not to jump at him just yet.

"Come now," The cockroach chided. "The monster may be able to do some menial chores. Any suggestions as to where such a beast should be kenneled?"

Everyone gasped and my hand went slack. Over Tyson's head was the same glowing green trident that had appeared over Percy's head last year. Poseidon had just claimed Tyson.

Tantalus burst into laughter and the other campers soon followed, almost the whole camp now roaring. Luckily Tyson didn't seem to notice as he was too occupied with trying to swat the trident over his head that was now fading. He was too innocent to understand how much he was being made fun of. I imagined that it must be a blow to the unclaimed campers too, having a Cyclops be claimed before they are.

"Well! I think we know where to put the beast now. By the gods, I can see the family resemblance!" Hopefully Tyson would never have to know how cruel people could be. I closed my eyes and exhaled strongly, pulling my hand away from my knife.

Percy had a new cabin mate.

* * *

 **AN:** Hello friends! Be sure to let me know your reactions, it is really great seeing you guys responding to the story, that it was enough to make you have a reaction too. I hope you enjoyed reading, next week will be chapter three, so see you then! I hope you have an awesome week and thank you for taking interest in this story, it really brightens my day. :)


	3. Chapter 3: Attack of the Avians

**4/15/16:** Hello friends! Hope you've had and have a good week and I look forward for your reactions!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Attack of the Avians**

* * *

The days that followed Tyson being claimed were a bit painful, Percy was constantly being made fun of and Tyson was too but he didn't really notice it luckily. I did try my best to make Tyson feel included though, and to act as a buffer to the comments but I could only do so much.

Alongside all of these new issues Percy seemed to grow conflicted, expressing to me how it almost felt like a joke to be a child of Poseidon now. Whenever Tyson wasn't around and someone started making fun of them I noticed that he tended to try to disconnect himself from him too.

Tyson on the other hand was absolutely thrilled to have a new brother. In addition to that, he understood from school that Percy and I lived in the same house and we grew up together basically as brother and sister, so the next day he had come up to me to ask if that made me his sister too. I had smiled at him and told him that if he wanted it to be, then sure. After that he gave me a giant hug, smiling broadly.

In terms of the chariot races (which I was still not happy about), Annabeth had the idea for her and Percy's cabins to team up. It would help take their minds off things. I knew there was already a chariot team for the Hermes cabin in the works so I just helped where I could and stayed with them for moral support, but I wasn't officially a part of it. Athena and Poseidon in theory would have made a strong chariot team, the creator of the chariot and creator of horses kids working together. Tensions were up though, the rest of camp didn't help with their comments either. What I did notice that made me happy was Beckendorf taking Tyson under his wing despite all the misgivings circulating around the camp about him, bringing him into the forges to learn different things.

All the while we tried in vain to brainstorm a solution to save Thalia's tree but kept coming up frustratingly blank. I knew Chiron had something up his sleeve but was trying to be hands off and still hadn't told me what his plan actually was.

Nightly guard duty became a part of my daily schedule. Some other campers helped out with the guard too- there was a kind of underground group of us that still worked to protect the camp despite whatever Tantalus or Mr. D were insisting. When the opportunity came up to join I opted to take up my old time of guarding at night as that had been my preferred time in the past to help guard when the borders weren't as strong. I hadn't been sleeping much anyway, and I could see in the dark better than most, so it worked out. I would just sit up against Thalia's tree and stay out of the way of the cleaning Harpies. Satyrs and dryads came up during the daytime to sing to the pine and it would help temporarily, but it was still deteriorating. Nobody went up there at night except those on patrol.

The morning Tantalus came down to breakfast livid, mysteriously dressed in a neon pink version of his jumpsuit and bright green hair, was a highlight for me. Nobody could prove who did it but there wasn't much of an effort on the camper's side of things to rat the person out because it was pretty much unanimous that it was hilarious.

It was later that same morning I found myself sitting with Percy and Annabeth by the canoe lake. They were busy working on their chariot design when a group of Aphrodite kids walked up and made another poke at Percy because of Tyson's appearance. They walked off laughing to themselves after that. Annabeth told Percy to ignore them but it ended up coming out a bit wrong.

"He's not my brother!" Percy snapped to her. "And he's not a monster, either!"

 _Better than some of the siblings you could have been stuck with._ Annabeth raised her eyebrow at his comment. "Hey, don't get mad at me! And technically, he is a monster."

"Well you gave him permission to enter camp."

This was becoming one of those things best stopped before it got too far along. "Guys, cut it out-" I started to say but Annabeth just spoke over me.

"Because it was the only way to save your life! I mean... I'm sorry, Percy, I didn't expect Poseidon to claim him. Cyclopes are the most deceitful, treacherous-"

"He is not! What have you got against Cyclopes, anyway?"

At that Annabeth's ears turned pink. I could tell there was something there she wasn't telling us.

"Percy, Annabeth, quit fighting a-" I tried to cut in.

"Just forget it," Annabeth said. "Now, the axle for this chariot-"

"You're treating him like he's this horrible thing." Percy said. "He saved my life."

Annabeth threw down her pencil and stood. "Then maybe you should design a chariot with him."

"Guy-"

"Maybe I should."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Guys, stop acting like little kids!" I stood up to try to stop her but she stormed off. I threw up my hands and kicked the ground.

* * *

The next couple of days were filled with even more tension than before. Percy and Annabeth refused to speak to each other and I ended up being stuck in the middle.

It was when I was in the arena with the Hermes cabin that I saw Percy flying overhead on a pegasus. He looked at ease in the sky too. Afterwards he told me that Tyson had wanted to ride the pegasi too but they were skittish around him, which caused him to cry. At least he seemed okay now after he had been to the forges following that.

One night after patrol duty I had a dream that showed me different flashes of a fight. I saw a dark, almost wolf-like figure fighting a smaller one. Then there was a flash of me fighting something and as we came into the light of a streetlamp I could make out what the monster was: a Lycanthrope. _Werewolf._ I heard howls in the distance then my dream cut out.

When I woke up I found that I had a bit of a chill. By the sounds of it in that dream there was more than one wolf on its way to the fight, and if that was anything like the other demigod dreams I have had then that could very well be something in my future because it sure wasn't something from my past. Chiron's words to me before his departure seemed eerie now with the sudden addition of this dream. I propped myself up on my elbow and looked down at my hand, studying my Cerberus ring, remembering my old best friend's weapon. _I might just take Chiron up on his idea..._

* * *

Cyclopes were naturals at working in the forges so once Beckendorf had taken him in Tyson had quickly found his niche and flourished. Beckendorf took Tyson there and he would tell me all about the fun times they had and what progress he had made and the new things he had created.

Later in the day I broke off from the Hermes cabin at our break time and went down to the forges.

"Beckendorf?" I called out over the hammering of metals and general noise of the place. I cautiously wandered inside and spotted Tyson.

"Hey Tyson, have you seen Beckendorf?"

"Right here," Beckendorf came into view from behind Tyson, in his hands a large sword.

"Right there." Tyson reiterated happily to me as he worked.

I smiled at Tyson's reaction, seeing him so at home here really was a good thing to see. "Thanks, buddy." I then looked to Beckendorf and said, "Hi Beckendorf."

He paused, looking at me for a second. "Hey. Allison, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Also, by the way, thanks for showing Tyson all this stuff. It's really awesome of you to show him the ropes."

I looked over to Tyson who was happily working. "Anyway, uh, I was wondering... well, we might not know each other well, but I've seen your work. I was wondering if you might be willing to make something for me? I can pay you, of course." I added in, being sure to keep a bit of distance from the heat of the forge they were working at. I slipped off my Cerberus ring.

"No problem, he's a natural and a great help in here. And make something you say? Sure, I guess. What were you looking for? I can use it to help train Tyson some more." He patted Tyson on the shoulder and placed the glowing red sword into a basin of water. A huge cloud of steam rose up above it as the heat of the metal touched the cool water. After he pulled the sword out and placed it on the table he gave it a brief inspection. Beckendorf then nodded, pulled his gloves off and came over.

"Tyson, would you make the handle for me?" He asked and Tyson nodded eagerly, setting down a plate of metal he had been fiddling with and going over to the sword.

"So, what did you need made? I could make you a cool ax maybe, I had this idea for one last week but I would need some time to work on the logistics."

"That sound cool, but I was actually wondering if you would be able to make a magic weapon out of this." I handed over my ring and he took it, turning it around in his hands to examine it. The idea for this had been idling in my head ever since Chiron left but that dream seemed to have cemented it. I guess it was kind of influenced by Nick's old weapon that I kept that ring in the first place when I picked it up at the Lotus.

Nick's sword was able to turn into a golden-bronze looking eagle ring. The blade was the same as the metal of the ring, somehow always able to look like it had gold in it at times even though it was bronze. I always thought his weapon's Mist form was neat and now it seemed like I would be carrying on the torch for a weapon like that.

"Cerberus," He noted. "Where did you get this?"

I paused. "Found it in a monster den last year and thought it looked kind of cool, so I kept it." I shrugged.

He nodded, accepting the answer. "In terms of the actual weapon itself though," I continued. "Would you be able to have it about short-sword length with that ring as its sheathe?" I pursed my lips for a moment, debating the next part.

"Also, it may be a bit of an odd request, but is there any way would could incorporate silver into the blade? If there is some way you know of to make it return back after a time too, that would be nice. It doesn't have to, but it would be nice - I hope that isn't too tall a request."

"Hmm... I'll see what I can do." He said, looking back up to me from the ring.

My face broke into a smile. "I owe you one, thanks! A friend had mentioned that the ring would be a cool piece for a weapon and the idea has kind of grown on me. I figured it would be nice to have a weapon for myself that I can use beside the one I got from the spares in the armory. It works, but it isn't really the ideal fit."

I glanced down to the sword attached to my belt. I had picked it up after arriving back at camp to use in the training area. It was just your standard issue celestial bronze sword from the armory but I had figured I would need something again to use to keep up with my sword practice when I couldn't use my main sword, as that was stygian iron. Knives were useful, like the one I brought home with me for the school year, but it just didn't have the reach you sometimes needed that a sword could provide you with.

I didn't feel I should mention my other weapons I had aside from the sword at my side, that would tip him off because of the metals and it might just make this new one seem excessive, which it probably was, but I had this feeling that I might need something like it after my dream. You could never be too prepared, I have learned, and I could use it around the other campers. The whole thing reminded me of Nick, too.

"Here, a down payment. Just let me know if you need more for supplies or something, or if you need me to test something out for it. Thanks again, Beckendorf." I pulled out a handful of drachmas from my pocket and handed them to him. I knew this was a tall order for a sword, what with the return thing and the silver, so I wanted to account for that.

"No problem. Everyone should have a weapon suited for them. The return thing might be a bit difficult, but with Tyson here I think it is doable. I'll start working on it once I finish this sword."

"A sword for Allison!" Tyson cheered happily from where he was getting the items for the handle of the sword Beckendorf gave him earlier ready. "Will make it best for Allison!"

I smiled. "Thanks Tyson, Beckendorf. You two rock... I'll see you around." I gave Tyson a high five and worked my way out of the sweltering forge, already decently overheated.

Back at the Hermes cabin the door was open and its residents were sprawled both inside and out. I climbed up onto the porch and sat down on the railing, idly watching Jessica- the daughter of Hermes that stopped me from attacking Tantalus, giving her little brother a lesson on lock picking.

So many things were going wrong with camp and it was only a matter time until the pinnacle point was reached, then things would crash... badly. I put my hand in my left pocket and held onto the drachma Chiron gave me.

"Chiron... what do you have planned?" I murmured, looking out at the camp that I known since I was ten.

* * *

That night after my guard shift ended I went back to my cabin and turned in for the night. When I managed to fall asleep I started to have an odd dream. I saw what looked like a cruise ship traveling across the water and the New York City skyline in the background. I saw some figures pacing the deck but they were too far away to make out clearly.

My dream then shifted to images of a luscious island filled with bright green grass and fruit trees, a warm breeze in the air. I felt like there was something familiar about the island but couldn't pinpoint what. It was like I had seen it before, or almost like I had a connection to something on it, which was strange.

Right before I woke up I had a weird flashback to last year's quest when Ares came into the diner and threatened to turn Percy into a rodent and run him over. I remembered thinking how goofy Percy would look with a little furry set of ears and running around on tiny little legs, but I didn't really get why my mind was thinking about that now.

"Rise and shine!" Someone shouted right next to my ear and I jolted awake, hand flying to my knife.

"Gods, Connor! I almost stabbed you, could you be any more loud? Wait, don't answer that." I released the grip on my knife that I had just only seconds ago been ready to attack.

"Too late!" He yelled even louder and I grabbed my pillow and swung it at him but he easily stepped back out of reach.

"We're waking everyone up. Get with the program, lazy bones." He teased and went over to another camper to wake him up a few spots down from me. _This is my morning wakeup call... glorious._ It kind of had to be expected with the Stolls around and in charge though.

* * *

By the time it came for the chariot races to get underway it was already hot and humid. Fog lay low on the ground making it feel like a sauna. Many, many birds were roosting in the trees, fat grey-and-white pigeon type ones, except they didn't make normal pigeon noises. The sounds coming from them were almost like a metallic screeching.

The racetrack had been created between the archery range and woods by the bronze bulls. The Hephaestus cabin repurposed them for their own use and they were now tame and ready to work, plowing the field in minutes.

Two rows of stone steps were erected on the side for the spectators so Tantalus, the satyrs, some dryads, and all the campers not participating were seated there.

"Right!" Tantalus announced as the teams began to assemble at the start of the track. A naiad brought him a large platter of pastries, which she had to know was a waste, and as he spoke he slowly inched his hand closer to the chocolate éclairs.

"You know the rules. A quarter-mile track. Twice around to win. Two horses per chariot. Each team will consist of a driver and a fighter. Weapons are allowed." As he said that he got a creepy smile on his face that was just made him appear to be begging to have his clothes and hair mysteriously dyed again during the night. The fun caused by dying them last time had worn off, as had the actual dye sadly. "Dirty tricks are expected. But try not to kill anybody!" He was smiling at us again. "Any killing will result in harsh punishment. No s'mores at the campfire for a week! Now ready your chariots!" _Yup, he's due again._

The Ares cabin was suited with a blood red chariot pulled by two horse skeletons that would cast the occasional curious look to me. Clarisse climbed aboard with a batch of javelins, spiked balls, caltrops, and a bunch of other nasty items. How they had gotten those horses to pull their chariot I didn't know, though it did make me kind of wish all horses could be as at ease with me around as those two clearly were.

The Hephaestus team was, of course, led by Beckendorf. They had a smooth chariot made of bronze and iron, the horses were even automatons. _Dang, they work fast._ There was no doubt that the chariot had more to it than just its sleek look.

Apollo's chariot was graceful and trim, and completely gold. It was pulled by two palominos, who in my opinion were very pretty - their coats almost golden looking. That chariot's fighter was, of course, armed with a bow and blunt arrows.

My cabin's chariot was green and old looking, almost like it had been picked up from some playhouse old-prop sale. It didn't look like anything special, but with the Stoll brothers at the reins... well it would be an interesting race.

The last two chariots were Percy and Annabeth's. I saw them conversing a little before the race, which raised my hopes that their argument would end soon, but they had to break it up once Tantalus called everyone to their marks. The birds off in the trees were now making a real racket and I found myself stealing looks over at them, hand rubbing my bracelet tentatively.

"My money is on the Apollo cabin." An unclaimed kid, Todd, said from the seat beside me.

"Real cabin-spirit right there, and I'm not placing any bets." I said. _But if I did I would caution to guess the birds..._

The chariots lined up and more birds gathered. The trees themselves were shivering under the sheer weight of them all. Other campers had started to notice them now too. Tantalus, of course, didn't seem concerned though. I was growing suspicious about what those birds actually were.

"Charioteers!" Tantalus shouted. "Attend your mark!"

He waved his hand and the starting signal dropped. The chariots took off with gusto, hooves thundering against the dirt, crowd breaking into cheers for their favored chariot.

Right out of the gates the Apollo cabin flipped. The Stolls had rammed the golden chariot and the riders were thrown free, their panicked horses dragged the chariot diagonally across the track. Travis and Connor were laughing but shut up pretty fast when the Apollo horses crashed into theirs, causing their own chariot to flip and leave a big pile of broken wood and four riled up horses in its wake.

"Damn it! I bet twenty bucks on them!" The kid Todd exclaimed from next to me.

I watched Percy and Tyson's chariot carefully, as well as Annabeth's. Percy was pulling ahead of Clarisse but Annabeth was way ahead of the lot. She was already making the first turn and I saw her fighter partner wave at the other chariots behind them, shouting something that was bound to be a taunt.

Beckendorf's chariot was gaining on Percy's and when he got close enough he pressed some type of button to cause the panel on the side of his chariot to slide open. Three sets of balls and chains shot straight at Percy and Tyson's wheels.

Tyson pulled off a last second save, whacking the projectiles aside with his pole and gave Beckendorf's chariot a nice shove to send them sideways. I then saw Tyson pointing to the woods. I looked over to where he was gesturing and my breath caught. The birds had risen from their perches and were spiraling like a huge tornado heading straight for the tracks like in some kind of horror movie.

I edged my way further off my seat in anticipation. Percy was gaining on Annabeth and her fighter was just about to throw his javelin when the birds started dive bombing us. I pulled out my camp knife and hastily started swinging to keep the things at bay. A few managed to get in a couple good pecks at my arms despite my efforts.

I was able to see that the birds were doing the same to the chariots through the cloud of feathers but I was more focused on the ones directly around me. Their beaks were made of bronze and that just confirmed what I had suspected they might be. Stymphalian birds.

"Gods damn it!" I cursed as I slashed at another who got a nice sized cut across my leg. It was like a sea of beaks and feathers. I leaped off the side of the stands in search of a more clear area to fight but the whole place was absolutely swarmed. I saw Percy and Annabeth turn their chariots away and head to the Big House through the flock. _That's it, I need a clear spot!_ I took off for the woods to get out of sight of the campers, my own entourage of birds giving chase, pecking at me with their sharp beaks and pulling at my hair.

The second I was out of sight I ran into the shadow of a tree and ditched the birds. I reappeared in Chiron's office, the first safe place I had thought of to go to come up with a plan.

"Damned birds- we need bells or something..." I muttered as I brushed the hair they had pulled out of my face in annoyance, swatting away a few lingering feathers.

Suddenly the door burst open and in came Percy and Annabeth.

"Whoa!" Percy exclaimed as he almost crashed into me.

"What are you doing here? Never mind, Chiron's boom box - we need it!" Annabeth grabbed said music player and Percy snatched one of Chiron's favorite CD's. My mind quickly pieced together their idea. _Music might just work!_

"Come on!" Annabeth called and I followed them as they ran out of the Big House. I jumped into the chariot and we took off for the swarm.

Down at the tracks chariots were in flames, wounded campers ran in every direction with birds trailing, shredding their clothes and pulling their hair. Tantalus, the ever helpful idiot, was chasing breakfast pastries around the stands while yelling, "Everything's under control! Don't worry!"

We rolled up to the now dilapidated tracks and stopped at the finish line, Annabeth swiftly setting up the boom box. Percy popped in the CD and pressed PLAY and the sounds of violins and Dean Martin came on through the speakers. In response to the new noises the birds went nuts. They started flying in circles, running into each other. They soon abandoned their mission of destruction at the ground and flew up further into the air in a huge, dark, feathery wave.

"Now!" Annabeth shouted over the noise. "Archers!"

Now with clear targets the Apollo cabin and select others started knocking them out of the sky. Most of the Apollo kids could shoot five or six arrows at a time, which had always amazed me. Within minutes the ground was littered with dead Stymphalian birds and the survivors of the attack were just a distant speck of darkness on the horizon.

The camp was saved but the wreckage was surmountable. Most of the chariots had been completely destroyed and almost everyone was wounded, bleeding from multiple bird pecks and littered with feathers. A few o the Aphrodite kids were screaming because their outfits had been ruined, which I just rolled my eyes at.

"Bravo!" Tantalus said, but he wasn't looking in our direction. "We have our first winner!" He walked to the finish line and awarded the golden laurels for the race to a flabbergasted Clarisse.

He then turned to us and smiled."And now to punish the troublemakers who disrupted this race."

* * *

 **AN:** Woot, a day early posting! Anyway, I hope you have a nice week! Be sure to let me know your reactions so far and thank you for taking interest in all of this :) I hope you enjoy reading!


	4. Chapter 4: Away They Go

**4/22/16:** Greetings! Welcome to chapter four. Here you will get some more info and the prelude to next chapter, which I hope will be very entertaining and adventure-y. Authors note at the bottom, enjoy reading friends!

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Away They Go**

* * *

The way Tantalus saw things, the Stymphalian birds would have never attacked had Annabeth, Percy, and Tyson not disrupted them with their bad chariot driving, somehow lumping me in with them. Percy told Tantalus to go chase a doughnut in response, which didn't help, yet it was fairly satisfying to see. I wanted to tell him to chase the pastry straight back to the Underworld, as that's where he's going already, but refrained.

Needless to say we were punished. We were booked for kitchen patrol- scrubbing pots and platters all afternoon in the underground kitchen with the cleaning harpies staring at us weirdly the whole time. We had to wash the stuff with lava in place of water "to get that extra-clean sparkle and kill ninety-nine point nine percent of germs." In short, all of us had to wear asbestos gloves and aprons as we sweated it out the rest of the already warm and humid day.

The lava didn't bother Tyson though, he just plunged his hands right in and started working but the rest of us were not accustomed to the heat and dangerous work that went along with the task. What made it all the more worse was that there were copious amounts of extra plates from the "special lunch banquet" Tantalus ordered to celebrate Clarisse's chariot victory. It was a full course meal featuring country-friend Stymphalian death-bird.

Really the only good thing that came from the situation was that it gave Percy and Annabeth a common enemy to make up over, and lots of time for all of us to talk. Percy told us about his dream that involved Grover too during that time. At that point Annabeth looked like she was starting to believe Percy about the Grover thing, as he had apparently told her earlier.

"If he's really found it," she murmured as she scrubbed a particularly tough patch of food.

"And if we could retrieve it-"

"Hold on," Percy said. "You act like this... whatever-it-is Grover found is the only thing in the world that could save camp. What is it?" My eyes widened and I hit my head with my forearm to avoid the gloves in realization.

"I'll give you a hint. What do you get when you skin a ram?"

"You're not serious, are you?" I gaped at her, knowing now what she thought Grover had found. "That's been lost like, forever!"

"What? Do you get messy?" Percy tried.

Annabeth sighed and held up a hand to me, lava dripping off the glove. "A fleece. The coat of a ram is called a fleece. And if that ram happens to have golden wool-"

"The Golden Fleece. Are you serious?"

"That's what I said!" I exclaimed.

Annabeth scraped another plateful of death-bird bones into the lava. "Percy, remember the Grey Sisters? They said they know the location of the thing you seek. And they mentioned Jason. Three thousand years ago, they told him how to find the Golden Fleece. You know the story of Jason and the Argonauts?"

"Yeah," Percy said. "That old movie with the clay skeletons."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh my gods, Percy! You are so hopeless!"

"What?" Percy demanded.

"Wait, hold up a minute. The Grey Sisters?"

Annabeth sighed and explained what happened on their ride to camp.

"Well, that's... interesting."

"Yeah, but just listen. The real story of the Fleece: there were these two children of a cloud nymph, Nephele, Phrixus and Helle, right? They were about to get offered up as human sacrifices by their stepmom, Ino, but then Nephele appeared with this magical flying ram that had golden wool. The ram picked them up in Greece and carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, actually it carried Phrixus, Helle fell off and died along the way- hence the place now being called Hellespont -but that's not important."

"It was probably important to her." Percy said and I remembered the rendition of the story one of my old teachers gave, that the two kids saved were children of Zeus. A child of Zeus not being able to control the winds enough to save themselves from a fall like that was a bit of an odd concept for me with that story. Sure some were better versed in lightning and things like that from what I've seen, but Nick was one of Zeus's kids who was able to basically fly, along with the lightning stuff, so I was used to that. Overall it was a power that came in handy, just like shadow travel with me.

"The point is," Annabeth continued. "When Phrixus got to Colchis, he sacrificed the golden ram to the gods and hung the Fleece in a tree in the middle of the kingdom. The Fleece brought prosperity to the land. Animals stopped getting sick. Plants grew better. Farmers had bumper crops. Plague never visited. That's why Jason wanted the Fleece. It can revitalize the land where it's placed. It cures sickness, strengthens nature, cleans up pollution-"

"It can cure Thalia's tree." I added half to myself.

Annabeth nodded. "And it would totally strengthen the borders of Camp Half-Blood. But the Fleece has been missing for centuries. Tons of heroes have searched for it with no luck."

"But Grover found it," Percy said. "He went looking for Pan and he found the Fleece instead because they both radiate nature magic. It makes sense. We can rescue him and save the camp at the same time. It's perfect!"

I shook my head, a niggling doubt forming in my head. In my experience, nothing was ever perfect. "A little too perfect, Percy. It might be a trap."

"I agree, just think about last year." Annabeth added.

"What choice do we have?" He asked. "Are you going to help me rescue Grover or not?"

Tyson had long since lost interest in our conversation and was happily making toy boats out of cups and spoons in the lava.

"Percy," Annabeth said quietly. "We'll have to fight a Cyclops. Polyphemus, the worst of the Cyclopes. And there's only one place his island could be. The Sea of Monsters."

"Not good..." I muttered as Percy asked where it was. I started to get a feeling as to why Chiron chose to visit the other centaurs in Florida specifically.

Annabeth stared at him like she thought he was playing dumb. "The Sea of Monsters. The same sea Odysseus sailed through, and Jason, and Aeneas, and all the others."

"You mean the Mediterranean?"

"No. Well, yes... but no."

"Another straight answer. Thanks."

I shook my head as I scraped at the plate in my hands. "Percy, the Sea of Monsters is another big place and representation of the old Greece, just like Mount Olympus. That moved with the West's center of power, the Sea of Monsters too, it's a landmark, just like my father being in Los Angeles."

"Right." Annabeth confirmed.

"But a whole sea full of monsters-how could you hide something like that? Wouldn't the mortals notice weird things happening... like, ships getting eaten and stuff?"

"Of course they notice. They don't understand, but they know something is strange about that part of the ocean. The Sea of Monsters is off the east coast of the U.S. now, just northeast of Florida. The mortals even have a name for it."

"The Bermuda Triangle?"

"Exactly."

"Okay... so at least we know where to look."

"That's still a huge area, Percy. It's one tiny island in monster-infested water-" I started.

"Hey, I'm the son of the sea god. This is my home turf. How hard can it be?"

"Yeah, and if I were to go then monsters would really love to trash whatever boat we took. They are still monsters, Percy. They will still go after even you."

"Wait, so now you're saying you aren't coming? What about G-"

"I didn't say that, Percy. It's just... I don't know how safe it will be-for all of us." I wanted to help, I really did, but a daughter of Hades in the middle of the ocean, let alone the Sea of Monsters?

Annabeth knit her eyebrows. "Well, we will just cross that bridge when we get to it. We still need to try to get approval from Tantalus. He'll say no."

"Not if we tell him tonight at the campfire in front of everybody. The whole camp will hear. They'll pressure him. He won't be able to refuse."

"Maybe." A little bit of hope had crept into her voice. "We'd better get these dishes done. Hand me the lava spray gun, will you?"

* * *

The night at the campfire Apollo's cabin lead the sing-along. They tried to get everyone's spirits up but it wasn't the easiest task after the attack at the races earlier. We all sat around a semicircle of stone steps, singing halfheartedly and watching the bonfire blaze while the Apollo kids played instruments.

The standard campfire songs were sung, and since the bonfire was enchanted, the louder the singing got the higher the flames rise, changing colors and heat with the mood of the crowd. On a good night the flames could reach twenty feet and be bright purple, getting so hot that if your marshmallow got too close it would burst into flames. Tonight the flames were only five feet and a pale, smoky grey.

Dionysus left early after sitting through a few songs, muttering about pinochle with Chiron being more entertaining. He then gave Tantalus a distasteful look as he left and headed back to the Big House.

When the last song was over, Tantalus said, "Well, that was lovely!"

He came forward with a toasted marshmallow on a stick and tried to casually take it off. I had to resist laughing aloud when the marshmallow committed marshmallow-icide by flying off the stick before he could even touch it, diving into the flames. I didn't blame it, who would want to be near Tantalus, let alone be a marshmallow and get eaten by him? Plus the look on Tantalus's face was nice to see when he found he still wasn't able to get around his curse.

Tantalus turned back to us, smiling coldly. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy spoke up.

The moron's eye twitched. "Our kitchen boy has something to say?"

Some Ares kids snickered but I knew by the look on Percy's face that he wasn't going to be backing down. This was too important to. He stood and looked at me and Annabeth. We both stood up with him.

"We have an idea to save the camp."

Dead silence, but we had gotten everyone's attention, bonfire turning bright yellow.

"Indeed," Tantalus said blandly. "Well, if it has anything to do with chariots-"

"The Golden Fleece." Percy cut him off. "We know where it is."

The flames burned orange. Before Tantalus could stop him, Percy blurted out his dream about Grover and Polyphemus's island. Annabeth stepped in and reminded everyone what the Fleece could do and I reminded them that we were running off fumes for the tree's protection. Annabeth made a pretty convincing argument, a daughter of Athena of her known seniority backing this was a major help.

"The Fleece can save the camp," she concluded. "I'm certain of it."

"Nonsense," Tantalus said. "We don't need saving."

The glares he got in response soon made him look uncomfortable. _Good._

"Tantalus, _sir_ , I think we can all agree that it would really be a shame for you if this camp came down too, remember that. I'm sure you don't want to go back to your old 'assignment' location." I reminded him while I met his gaze, giving him a hard glare.

"Well, besides," he added quickly, shooting me a nasty look. "The Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look."

"Yes, we would." Percy said. "30,31,75,12."

"Ooo-kay," Tantalus said. "Thank you for sharing those meaningless numbers."

"Use your brain, Tantalus. Those are sailing coordinates." I shot back. "Latitude and longitude. It is basic stuff we learn in school- or has your past assignment kept you from that well known knowledge since your time?"

His face soured but before he could speak Annabeth broke in. "30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 74 degrees, 12 minutes west. He's right. The Grey Sisters gave us those coordinates. That'd be somewhere in the Atlantic, off the coast of Florida. The Sea of Monsters. We need a quest!"

"Wait just a minute," Tantalus said but I knew he was about to be tanked.

The campers all took up the chant of, "We need a quest! We need a quest!"

The flames rose higher.

"It isn't necessary!" Tantalus insisted.

"WE NEED A QUEST! WE NEED A QUEST!"

"Fine!" Tantalus shouted, eyes blazing with anger. "I shall authorize a champion to undertake this perilous journey, to retrieve the Golden Fleece and bring it back to camp. Or die trying."

I dared to cautiously hope this would work, but I didn't trust the idiot as far as one could throw him. I also knew that nothing would stop Percy now.

"I will allow our champion to consult the Oracle!" Tantalus announced. "And choose two champions for the journey. And I think the choice of champion is obvious.

He looked to the three of us as if he wanted to flay us alive, which I wouldn't put past him given his history. "The champion shall be one who has earned the camp's respect, who has proven resourceful in the chariot races and courageous in the defense of camp. You shall lead this quest... Clarisse!"

The fire flickered a thousand different colors. The Ares cabin started stomping and cheering, "CLARISSE! CLARISSE!"

Clarisse stood, looking stunned. She then swallowed and her chest swelled with pride. "I accept this quest!"

"Wait!" Percy shouted over the noise. "Grover is my friend. The dream came to me!"

"Sit down!" Yelled one of Clarisse's siblings. "You had your chance last summer."

"Yeah, he just wants to be in the spotlight again!" Another added.

Clarisse glared at Percy. "I accept the quest!" She repeated more firmly. "I, Clarisse, daughter of Ares, will save the camp!"

The Ares campers cheered even louder. Annabeth protested and the other Athena campers joined their cabin leader. Everybody else started to divide into sides-shouting and arguing, going as far as to throw marshmallows. It looked like it would turn into a legitimate s'mores war until Tantalus shouted, "Silence, you brats!"

His tone stunned many.

"Sit down!" He ordered. "And I will tell you a ghost story."

I sank down slowly into my seat but my hand was resting on the hilt of my camp knife. I hadn't bothered to bring the sword I was using, it was just the campfire after all. I always carried a knife I could use with others around me though when I could. The evil aura radiating from Tantalus was as strong as any monster I had faced.

"Once upon a time there was a mortal king who was beloved of the Gods!" Tantalus put his hand on his chest, clearly in self-marvel. "This king, was even allowed to feast on Mount Olympus. But when he tried to take some ambrosia and nectar back to earth to figure out the recipe-just one little doggie bag, mind you- the gods punished him. They banned him from their halls forever! His own people mocked him! His children scolded him! And, oh yes, campers, he had horrible children. Children-just-like-you."

He pointed a crooked finger at several select people in the audience and I found myself wishing that the ambrosia and nectar would have burned him to ashes, since he was mortal, back then. It would have saved everyone a whole bunch of trouble.

"Do you know what he did to his ungrateful children?" Tantalus said softly. "Do you know how he paid the gods back for their cruel punishment? He invited the Olympians to a feast at his palace, just to show there were no hard feelings. No one noticed that his children were missing. And when he served the gods dinner, my dear campers, can you guess what was in the stew?"

"Your eternal, rightful damnation." I said just loud enough for him to hear when nobody dared answer, the flames going dark blue.

"Silence, you!" He shouted. "Kitchen duty for the rest of the summer!" He took a breath and recomposed himself. I gritted my teeth. _Fat chance, bub._ "Anyway, oh the gods punished him in the afterlife," Tantalus croaked.

"They did indeed. But he'd had his moment of satisfaction, hadn't he? His children never again spoke back to him or questioned his authority. And do you know what? Rumor has it that the king's spirit now dwells at this very camp, waiting for a chance to take revenge on ungrateful, rebellious children." He shot me a glare and I sent on straight back.

"And so... are there any more complaints, before we send Clarisse off on her quest?"

There was silence as I played with my knife, debating outcomes in my head.

Tantalus nodded at Clarisse. "The Oracle, my dear. Go on."

Clarisse shifted uncomfortably, like even she didn't want glory at the price of being "director's pet."

"Sir-"

"Go!" He snarled.

She bowed awkwardly and hurried off toward the Big House.

"What about you, Percy Jackson?" Tantalus asked. "No comments from our dishwasher?"

Percy said nothing, probably not keen on possibly being assigned kitchen duty for the rest of the summer like I had- not like I was going to do it anyway. There was no way in heck I was going to let one of my father's fields residents order me around. No, he would have a nice surprise.

"Good." Tantalus said. "And let me remind everyone- no one leaves this camp without my permission. Anyone who tries... well, if they survive the attempt, they will be expelled forever, but it won't come to that. The harpies will be enforcing curfew from now on, and they are always hungry!" He started walking forward. "Good night, my dear campers. Sleep well."

With a wave of his hand as he strode forward the fire was extinguished but at the same time his foot caught on a rock that just to happened to be in his path. Tantalus nearly face-planted right into the still hot ashes of the campfire. The campers were already walking off to their cabins but the few that saw it I noticed were hiding tentative smiles.

* * *

I caught up with Percy and Tyson after eyeing Tantalus on the walk back, he looked ticked off and I didn't trust the idiot whatsoever.

"You will go anyway?" Tyson asked. I knew we all wanted to help out, but Tantalus had technically said no just now. That complicated matters.

"I don't know," Percy admitted to him. "It would be hard. Very hard."

"Perce, I'm going to do my best to make sure Tantalus doesn't last- I doubt my father is happy about this situation either." Percy nodded in response, a bit of a frown on his face.

"I will help." Tyson said, big brown eye meeting Percy's.

"No. I-uh, I couldn't ask you to do that, big guy. Too dangerous."

Tyson looked down at some pieces of metal he had been assembling in his lap during the campfire- springs and gears and tiny wires. Beckendorf had given him some tools and spare parts to bring outside the forge by the looks of it, and now he was having a blast with them, even if it was dampened by recent events.

"What are you building?" I asked.

Tyson didn't answer. Instead he made a small whimpering sound in the back of his throat. "Annabeth doesn't like Cyclopes. You... don't want me along?"

"Oh, that's not it," Percy said halfheartedly. "Annabeth likes you. Really."

Tyson had tears forming in the corners of his eye.

"Tyson, buddy, we all have a past. Annabeth just hasn't gotten the chance to know you as well as Percy and I do. You are amazing, pal. For her, she probably had some trouble with Cyclopes in the past, the bad ones, but she will come around. She is just cautious, but we are here with you."

Tyson folded up his tinkering project in an oil cloth as we came to their cabin's porch.

"Night you two, I'll see you tomorrow." I gave Percy's shoulder a squeeze and ruffled his hair, which he actually didn't try to duck this time, then patted Tyson on the back and left. _Time to go and get ready for my watch._ I hurried back to the Hermes cabin and picked up my sword in its sheathe.

After changing into some darker clothes I left my cabin; the extra help blending in would be good if the harpies were now on patrol during my shifts. I didn't really know how that would affect the night watches, but we would find a way. I left in the light of the full moon and made my way up to Thalia's tree.

Thalia's tree was getting noticeably worse; more and more of its needles were littering the ground and the damage was spreading visibly into the valley. I rested my hand against the tree and closed my eyes. _It still feels abnormal... like a tree that has a nymph, almost. But Thalia would be wandering around if that was the case._

Thalia's tree had never really been a big focus point for me, yes I could tell the tree had an extra energy about it than a normal tree, I was able to tell since I arrived here last year. It had never been around in my time, the borders were different then. Weaker. The story of how this tree came to be I knew about but the energy coming off of it was always the same, it didn't change throughout my time in camp since arriving last year. Trees with nymphs in them always felt different, more lively, conscious. Thalia's hadn't been like that.

Things have changed now though, what was left of Thalia's spirit in there seemed to have been more dormant previously. Now with the poisoning of the tree it seems like her spirit is fighting back in a sense, making itself more noticeable. Then there was the obvious part about the power being drained from the borders that surrounded camp, that really threw off the whole sense of the place, hence that feeling I got when I first arrived this year, that there was a very sick or wounded camper nearby, and not just from after a capture the flag game gone wrong. Something was definitely different about the tree now, aside from the obvious.

I sighed and opened my eyes. The moon above was still bright, not many clouds in the sky. I scanned the tree line at the bottom of the hill's clearing. Nothing. A ways further down the borders I saw what must have been Katie Gardner's figure climbing up a tree to her post. She was a nice girl from the Demeter cabin, one of the campers who were still clearly sticking with the border patrol even after Tantalus's warning. I respected that. I climbed over one of the larger roots of the pine and sat myself down, back resting against the tree and sword sheathed across my lap.

* * *

A bit of time passed before what I began to see what looked like a light down at the shore of the Sound - almost like a cell phone's light, which struck me as odd. Demigods didn't have cell phones. I looked back over the opposite side of the hill and in Katie's direction. Nothing was there that shouldn't be, just trees and grass. _The heck with it._ I stood up from my spot and started walking over to where the light was coming from.

As I grew closer I heard Annabeth and Tyson calling Percy's name. _It must be Percy at the shore... but with a cell phone?_

I came closer to where the light was originating from and I could swear I saw two figures seated on the sand. Then the lights of a passing cruise ship caught my eye, glowing white and yellow lights cutting across the Sound. The larger figure stood from the sand and jogged further down the shore, then just up and vanished.

I reached where Percy- the smaller figure -was sitting right when Annabeth and Tyson were just finding him.

"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "I heard you calling for help!"

"Me too!" Tyson said. "Heard you yell, 'Bad things are attacking!'"

"I didn't call you guys," Percy said. "I'm fine."

"Percy, who was that sitting with you? I saw you and someone else down here when I was up at Thalia's tree on my watch." I asked.

"Wait, but then who..." Annabeth looked down, causing me to do the same. Three yellow duffle bags were nestled in the sand at Percy's feet. Percy himself had a thermos and what looked like a container of vitamins in his hands. "What-"

"Just listen," Percy said. "We don't have much time."

Percy described his conversation with Hermes. By the time he was finished we could hear the screeching of the harpy patrol in the distance picking up our scent.

"Percy, we have to do the quest." Annabeth said.

"We'll get expelled, that isn't a good thing. Trust me, I'm an expert on getting expelled."

"So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to."

"Yeah, but you promised Chiron-"

"I promised I'd keep you from danger. I can only do that by coming with you! Tyson can stay behind and tell them-"

"I want to go," Tyson insisted.

"No!" Annabeth's voice was nearing a panic. "I mean... Percy, come on. You know that's impossible."

We all looked to Percy, waiting for his answer as the cruise ship gained distance.

"Guys," I finally said. "There are three bags, and three of you. Hermes was expecting Tyson, he was the one he had hear Percy's voice. Besides, you know I can handle Tantalus. He will just punish Tyson with us gone if he was the one to stay behind. We don't want that. Chiron is up to something too, and I have a feeling he will need my help. I will work on my own thing over here while you guys search for the Fleece and Grover."

I took a breath. "As much as I hate to not go with you, it's the ocean. That will just end badly, even with you there, Percy."

Percy ran his hand against the back of his head, debating with himself.

"We can't leave him," Percy finally decided. "Allison is right. Tantalus will punish him for us being gone, and I know you can deal with him yourself, Ally."

"Percy," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool. "We're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is a S-i-k... a C-y-k..." She stomped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, she was dyslexic too. "You know what I mean."

"C-y-c-l-o-p-s." I supplied.

"Yeah, that." She said, giving a small wave of her hand at me.

"Tyson can go," Percy insisted. "If he wants to."

Tyson clapped his hands. "Want to!"

"Tyson- that sword I asked you and Beckendorf to make me, is it almost done?" I asked.

Tyson nodded. "Beckendorf has it. Polishing."

I smiled. "Thanks Tyson! I owe you one, I'll pick it up tomorrow. I think it will come in handy." Annabeth was giving Percy the evil eye, but I knew she could tell he wasn't going to relent.

"All right," she finally said. "How do we get to the ship?"

Percy hesitate then took a step close to the water. "Urm, Dad?" He called out into the Sound. "How's it going?"

"Percy, we're in a hurry!" Annabeth whispered, glancing back in the direction of the main part of camp.

"We need your help," He called out a little louder. "We need to get to that ship, before we get eaten and stuff, so..."

First there was nothing. Waves crashed against the shore like normal, no change. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the dunes and I found myself angling myself toward them and slipped my knife out a bit as a precaution. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, three white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward us like a set of claws cutting through the ocean.

As they neared the beach the surface parted and the heads of three white stallions appeared out of the waves.

Tyson caught his breath. "Fish ponies!"

 _Hippocampi, I've only ever seen them from a distance._

"Hippocampi!" Annabeth exclaimed, echoing Tyson's sentiments. "They're beautiful!" The nearest one whinnied in appreciation and nuzzled Annabeth.

The three creatures pulled themselves up onto the sand. All three were eyeing me cautiously so I stepped back some to give them some distance, I didn't want to spook off their escape rides.

"We'll admire them later," Percy said. "Come on!"

"There!" A shrill voice screeched behind us. "Bad children out of cabins! Snack time for harpies!"

Five of them were fluttering over the top of the dunes-plump ones with pinched faces and talons. They almost looked like cafeteria ladies mixed with dodo birds. They weren't fast, but you didn't want them to catch up to you.

"Tyson!" Percy said. "Grab a duffel bag!"

Tyson was still staring at the hippocampi with his mouth hanging open in amazement. "Tyson!"

"Uh?"

"Come on!"

With Annabeth's help they got him moving and after a quick warning to be careful and a set of departure hugs I stood as a barrier to the harpies. The three of them gathered their bags and jumped onto their rides- Tyson taking the largest of the animals. We said our goodbyes one last time, wishing each other luck again, and then they were off into the waves with a "Giddyup!"

I watched them go for a few moments before I realized the harpies were getting closer. I stood to let them get a bit closer, then took off running in the opposite direction of the cabins, down the shore within the reach of the waves to cover my tracks. I knew they wouldn't follow the quest group out onto the water so I just had to lead them away from where I would be on my watch. From there I would just shadow travel out.

I ran up the dunes a good distance away from where the quest group left and into an area with some trees, the harpies cursing and wailing as they tried to pursue me. I turned and saw the group taking off at the speed of Jet Skis toward the cruise ship. _Good luck guys..._

* * *

 **AN:** Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter- next shall properly launch us into the new adventure! I just wanted to say some thank yous to you guys- can I just say that holy fudge nuggets you are  Amazing? I love to hear from you guys about your reactions to what I am posting, (Don't be afraid to PM me if you have any questions or don't want to make a public review or something, I don't bite and love hearing from you. I will also do my best to answer any and all questions w/o spoiling things). I hope you know that even if you do not review/do anything, that just the fact that you have read this is very special to me. Heck, even just hearing about someone binge-reading Book 1 in one night is crazy to me and makes me feel very honored that it was dubbed binge-worthy. (If you do binge read, do please sleep, you need rest, by the way). I smile every time I get an email from FF. (Also to the one review who asked about Book 3 at chapter two, I am glad you want a Book 3 but do give me a bit of time to post Book 2, haha). If you leave a note as a Guest, I would love it if you set a temporary identifying name just so I am able to thank you properly/recognize you, I feel bad if I just categorize you as "guest". **Anyway, this note is getting very long, so in summary: Thank you very much. I hope you have a wonderful week! Until we meet again friends!**


	5. Chapter 5: Bon Voyage

**4/29/16:** Hi there! I hope you have enjoyed your week since I last posted! I am super excited for your reactions and I am really honored reading your reactions thus far and your interests with the whole thing! I might add more of an AN later, right now I have to leave but I wanted to post before I went :)

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Bon Voyage**

* * *

By the time I finally went to sleep that night after finishing the night's watch at Thalia's tree, the anticipation for the oncoming firestorm the next morning would surely become was steadily growing. In my dreams I saw a golden sarcophagus that seemed to extract all the warmth from the room, making it chilly even for me in my dream. I heard what sounded almost like a voice on the wind saying something I could just barely make out.

 _"He is re-forming, little by little we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges our cause, another small piece appears."_

 _Is that Luke?_ It had to be- he was the only person I could think of that would be saying something like that. That, and some of the underlying spite in the voice as it spoke reminded me of him when he was leaving camp. As for the sarcophagus, the energy coming off of it just radiated an aura of pure malice, evil, and unnaturalness.

I could make out some of the surrounding area, but it was cloudy. There were huge windows with a green sea and blue sky in its view. The room had fancy adornments, like a mahogany dining table and sofas. The sarcophagus itself was on a raised dais in the back, ten-feet-long and the light glittered off its golden surface despite the cold around it.

 _Is he actually planning to raise Kronos from that?_ But the gold of the sarcophagus matched the glint I had seen in Chester's eyes in those last moments fighting so many years ago. It was also the same color they had been in my dream after that first day of school in this new life. I now knew the entity controlling Chester to be Kronos's, or a piece of him, I had spoken with, when he said I had to die for a reason.

It was then that a thought struck me: I was right about this quest seeming too perfect. If Luke poisoned the tree, or had something to do with it- and I had no doubt that he was involved -he could just swoop in and collect the Fleece after we did all the dirty work of retrieving it. The magic of the Fleece might just be powerful enough to be a booster to their process of resurrecting Kronos.

 _I have to tell Chiron, and warn the others._ Another realization struck me: the ship Hermes told them to go on, it could have been Luke's ship. It was clear from the background visible through the windows that the room was in a tall boat. That boat could very well be Luke's.

"Yo! Allison, wake up! Seriously, Tantalus and Mr. D are demanding to see you right away, and they look _pissed._ " I woke abruptly to someone frantically shaking me.

"What? I was on night watch, let me sleep." From my guess, given the lighting coming in through the window, it was still early. I cracked my eyes open more to see Travis Stoll. I was slightly surprised, normally they woke me up by shouting or nudging me with their foot after the first couple of times I nearly slashed them with my knife when I first arrived.

"I think you really need to get to the dining pavilion... Percy, his brother, and Annabeth are all gone and they think you had something to do with it. Believe me, we were going to let you sleep in, but, well... you know."

I groaned. "Alright, alright." I had really been hoping for at least a few more hours of sleep before I had to be thrown into the fire. I propped myself up on my elbow. "If I go now, would you be able to contact Beckendorf for me? Tell him I need the thing he and Tyson made me. Have him meet me outside his cabin, okay?" Then added, "Last wish for a dead person?" _Oh the irony._ I knew my sword was ready by now- Beckendorf had me testing different hilts the other day and Tyson had confirmed it last night.

Travis's eyes were wary, probably from the wrath of the camp directors when they sent him off to bring me to the pavilion. "Sure, just go... good luck, man."

"Thanks... I think I'll need it. Meet you there." I got up as he nodded and left the cabin, getting myself ready to go out to breakfast. I grabbed a spray bottle that had been laying around for I-M calls and stored it by the door. Before I left I threw some stuff into a traveling bag and sat it alongside the bottle and my camp sword. I slipped my knife away, hidden from sight, and forged my way to the pavilion to meet my possible doom.

Mr. D and Tantalus were at their table, glaring daggers at me as I approached. Tantalus's face was already tinted red even before I got there. _Bet I can make it go purple._ Cautiously I climbed onto the platform, walking closer to their table before stopping. Tantalus wasn't my worry, it was the annoyed off god that made me wary.

After staring me down for a solid minute, the campers all around hushed into silence to watch, Mr. D spoke.

"Miss. Copperfield, do you know why you are here?"

"I assumed for breakfast, but I take it that isn't the case, so no."

"Lies!" Tantalus practically shouted. I knew I had been getting under his skin after my multiple side comments throughout the past number of days, but he seemed seriously ticked. He had just been waiting for a vague enough reason to tack on extra chores to my schedule. The campfire last night had seriously gotten to him apparently. His eyebrow was even twitching as he glared at me.

"Hush." Mr. D told him. Then to me, "Do you know where your... _friends_ , are? It would seem as though they have gone missing during the night and the harpies have reported a disturbance during their patrol. Would you care to shed some light on this situation?" I could tell he too was just barely keeping his voice level and refraining from turning me into a grape vine.

"You think they snuck out? Well I _just woke up_ , so I wouldn't know. I would have to look into it, same as you." I shrugged. "They could have just left to go back to the city because they were tired of your prejudices toward Tyson, you know. I wouldn't blame them."

Tantalus stood and took a step forward, trying to be threatening. "I know you know where they are, _girl._ Either they didn't want to be anywhere _near_ you- _which I wouldn't blame them-_ " He said this in a poor imitation of my voice. "Or they snuck out of camp, just like I explicitly said _not_ to do last night, and gone off to find that fleece you are all putting so much misguided and pointless hope into."

I narrowed my eyes and I noted some of the campers shuffling in their seats, edging closer to listen in on the confrontation.

"You know," I said. "For someone who has been around for thousands of more years, don't you think it isn't really very becoming of you to be making petty digs at a thirteen-year-old? Putting to use your 'almightily superior intellect' to try and insult one of the campers you are supposed to be responsible and care for?"

I squared my shoulders. "Besides, if they did leave to help get the Fleece, then there might just be hope for this camp. They're a great team that work well together and who saved everybody's asses from a war between the gods last year, which many of you seem to be forgetting. A war, which might I add, would have easily affected _all_ of the gods realms. You seem to either have been misinformed, or lack the ability to comprehend that someone like them can actually do something good. Much more than _you_ can do, anyways."

Tantalus lunged to make a grab for my collar but I turned in time to strike his hands away and jut my foot to trip him with his own overextended momentum, causing him to land right on his crooked nose. Some of the nearest campers I noted jumped slightly.

"Why you little-" He began to shout, bouncing right back up- which I admit was pretty good for someone of his considerable age.

"Self defense." I shrugged, meeting his eyes and speaking loud enough so I knew the other demigods would surely be able to hear. "Here's a tip, Tantalus: Don't attack demigods who might be armed, and who are in much better shape than you with more fighting experience. That, or choosing to attack around so many armed campers who may not like you very much."

I felt my voice drop to a threatening hiss and my face darken. "You may be 'activities director' now, but you will never even hope to glean the level of respect Chiron has in this camp. Go back to The Fields."

I turned sharply on my heel and started to walk away but a loud clap of thunder sounded from above and vines sprung up from the ground, rapidly twisting around me and holding me firmly in place. Some campers actually looked like they wanted to do something but they clearly didn't want to step in the path of a very angry god.

"Do you need something else, or am I free to go?" I looked back at the two, plastering a look of indifference onto my face.

Mr. D rose from his seat and walked over to me, Tantalus trailing at his heels like a pet dog. I met his spiteful eyes and stared him down.

"Now see here, Alice. If your little friends ever show their faces back at this camp again, I will turn them into squirrels and personally run them over with my SUV without hesitation."

"They are expelled for eternity from this camp! And _you_ , you will be on full time kitchen patrol _and_ stable duty for the rest of the summer!" Tantalus snarled.

"Is that all?" I asked.

You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Mr. D's eyes flashed dark purple and the vines tightened their grip around me. "You would do well to show some respect. Chiron may have had a soft spot for you and your companions, but he is no longer at this camp. Dismissed." He waved his hand and the vines uncoiled, retracting back into the earth.

I didn't break eye contact with Tantalus until he turned around and went back to his seat with Dionysus. _Well, looks like I need to make a call._

I turned around and saw campers duck their heads back to their food, but a number of them- primarily the Ares cabin -were grinning. They had never really been fond of me last year, or Percy for that matter. I decided to get something in my stomach, then get my new sword. I would need the fuel for later.

I scrunched onto the bench between two other campers at the Hermes table and picked out some breakfast. I went and dumped some of my fruit into the brazier in the center of the pavilion. "Hades and Iris." I whispered. Being on Iris's good side wouldn't hurt soon, as I didn't know where Chiron was exactly, so hopefully that would help a bit.

I walked back to my place and began eating. The campers around the pavilion had started picking back up their conversations as the tension lessened ever so slightly as time passed by. Nobody dared talk to me, which I was fine with. Tantalus was still glaring at me as if he wanted to throw me off the Big House roof so I turned to him and ate a nice big piece of my pancakes. His eyes narrowed and he turned away. I smiled. His face had indeed gone purple in this meeting.

* * *

Once breakfast was over and everybody went to start their day's activities I walked to the Hephaestus cabin.

"Hey," I greeted as I came closer to the cabin. Beckendorf had just stepped out of the intricate vault like door. Perfect timing.

He nodded in greeting, then, sounding mildly impressed, said "Quite a show."

I let out a small humorless laugh. "Yeah, I'm gonna need my sword, especially after that." I stopped in front of the much taller boy. Beckendorf had at least a good foot on me. Then, from behind him, came one of his brothers. The kid's name was Jake if I was remembering it right, but I wasn't entirely sure.

"Beckendorf," He came out saying. "Are we going down to the arena? Oh, hi." He added once he noticed me standing there.

I greeted him and Beckendorf told him to meet him down there, and that he would just be another minute.

"Okay, sure." Jake slipped past me and walked off to the arena, small project of some kind being fiddled with in his hands.

"So, this for Tantalus?" Beckendorf asked and I could almost swear I detected some hopefulness in his voice.

I shook my head. "Sadly, no. Maybe another time. I take it you know what happened?" I made designs in the dirt idly with the toe of my shoe as I spoke.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say everyone has already heard about it by now. Impressive, by the way." I nodded in thanks. "So, you going after them?" He asked, resting an arm on the railing. "'Lot of us don't have much hope riding on Clarisse, even if they don't want to admit it."

That statement actually kind of surprised me, that he had actually plainly said what nobody had the guts to say aloud. I knew that was the opinion of a nice chunk of the camp, but nobody wanted to say it. "I'm not sure yet... I'll have to do something though. I mean if Chiron isn't here, well, then this isn't really camp to me. I've been on my own enough to be able to survive for a while at least to be able to go out and lend a hand, I think. I have some ideas on where they might have gone too, but nothing definite. Nothing I would ever tell Tantalus or Mr. D though."

He nodded, thinking on this briefly. "You have a lot of monsters during the school year?" He asked, then added after seeing my expression, "'Cause you said 'be on my own enough', that is."

He paused, looking at me for a moment. "To be honest, you don't really seem like the type to go solo, or get a lot of monsters. Where did you go last year anyway when the quest was going on? Not many people noticed that you weren't there, but I was supposed to help set you up with some proper weapons."

I pursed my lips slightly. "I was searching for someone. I know I probably don't look it, but I can survive if needed for a while out traveling in the 'real world' without help. The new sword on the other hand, that would be a great help to that."

"Ah, yeah, of course. Here," Beckendorf pulled out the silver Cerberus ring and handed it to me. "The two metals were a bit tricky, but Tyson helped a lot. We were able to do the return thing too, like you had been hoping for. It's a bit finicky, but with time I think it will settle out."

I grinned as I stepped back, twisting the ring. I watched as it quickly grew and changed forms into a short sword with a black leather wrapped hilt- the one I had liked best the other day. "Just my style..." I said absently as I gestured to the silvery bronze-and-black color scheme.

The blade itself had a mostly bronze look to it due to the celestial bronze, but it still had that hint of silver to it. It looked nice nonetheless. The blade was about two feet long and the hilt had a nice solid build to it, a light impression of Cerberus's three heads visible on the cross-guard. I smile sadly, it really did remind me of Nick's sword now that I was seeing the finished product. It was a kind of melancholy feeling, but I liked it still.

"I like the detail work. It has a good amount of silver in it, right?" I asked, running my hand along the flat side of the blade and across Cerberus.

"Yeah. It was a bit hard to mix, it's an odd combo, but we were able to make it work. Tyson is a natural. He's on the road to making some good stuff."

I grinned."I bet. Thanks, Beckendorf. I really appreciate it. When I see Tyson I'll need to thank him again too. Here, this was above and beyond work." I dug out a few drachmas I had in my pocket and handed them to him. He gave a nod, accepting them and stuck out his other hand.

"No problem, it was a good learning experience." I took his hand and we shook. You could easily tell he was a child of Hephaestus just from his hands, hardened from all the metal work.

"Well, see you around... or not. Depends if I'll be welcomed back after this. Either way, Tantalus won't last long." I looked back to the Big House. "I have a feeling the big guy downstairs misses his favorite convict."

Beckendorf actually laughed as I retracted my sword and slipped it onto my finger. I nodded in thanks again and went back to the Hermes cabin. The second I stepped into the doorway I was ambushed with questions flying from everyone who had bunks nearest the entrance.

"What happened?"

"Is Percy trying to get in the spotlight again?"

"Are you selling that ring?"

I froze for a second in the face of the sudden barrage of questions. "No questions, and no. The ring is mine and I highly suggest not attempting to take it." I said above the noise of everyone getting ready for the day. I picked up my bag from the door and walked to where the Stolls were getting ready, pulling out the piece of paper I had written on before I left for the pavilion this morning.

"I'm going to be at the pavilion." I said, handing Travis the note and strapped on my camp sword out of habit. He looked at me oddly, glancing at the note, but I just winked and left the cabin. I slipped behind the line of cabins and walked into the woods.

I went through the forest, being sure to take many random paths while steadily going deeper in, even taking the time to double back at some spots. I didn't want anybody following me to witness what I was about to do.

After a solid ten minutes of jogging I decided where I was should be a good enough spot to make the call. I dug out the spray bottle and found a good spot of sunlight that was reaching down through the canopy. I pulled out the drachma Chiron gave me when he left, pausing to look at it for a moment, then tossed it into the mist, muttering the customary prayer to Iris.

"Chiron," I dictated. I had no clue where he was right then but I had heard that she and Chiron were old acquaintances, so she might already know generally where he was. With the addition of the offering I gave her this morning I was hopefully on her good side. "Please," I added.

The drachma disappeared and after a few seconds Chiron's image formed in the mist.

"Chiron!" I called. In the background there were a set of open doors leading into what looked like a dance club that was hosted in the grey building, neon sign just out of view enough to be unable to read. Chiron turned and noticed the mist.

"Oh, Allison! Perfect timing. What has happened? Percy and Annabeth just sent me an I-M, they were on a boat. The connection was choppy, then broke before we could talk fully. They told me that they managed to sneak away from camp but they had a run-in with Mr. Castellan." He then went on to relay what Percy and Annabeth told him.

"I saw that in my dream, the sarcophagus. The energy coming off it... it was like nothing I've felt before, except maybe in a dream. He said with each recruit that pledged their cause, another piece comes up. Chiron, this is bad. I have this feeling that he is either going to send a team to get the Fleece and go after them, or use them to get it for himself." I didn't like what this new information was implying, let alone the fact that Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson had been that close to Luke and only just slipped away. That must have been what my dream had showed me, part of their conversation, because what they relayed to Chiron and what was said in my dream were eerily similar.

"Yes, I too feared that may be the case as they described their situation. I am currently in Florida, close to Miami with my kinsmen." He looked back at the building and the rock music blaring out from the doors. I saw a can go rolling out of the building accompanied by a crash audible even to me. The whoops and hollering coming from Chiron's side of the call got even louder.

"I am keeping watch for any activity, but I fear I may require your help. I may not like it that Percy and Annabeth have left camp, but I can see that there is no stopping them at this point. I also know that you will be compelled to go off on your own anyway with them gone. We must combine our efforts and prepare, it will be our best bet." He paused, pensive. "I believe if you to try to follow Mr. Castellan's ship's progress on your way to meet me down here in Florida that will add even more benefit to your trip down. I was told it was called the _Princess Andromeda._ "

He sighed. "Allison, if I could, I would prefer for all of you to stay in camp, but our time is wearing thin. I know the barrier the ocean presents, but I believe they may have to stay relatively close to land to pull recruits, as it has been put, if you could watch for it. I have spoken to some contacts and the ship is indeed heading south, here to Florida. My worry is that they may try to ambush the quest group upon their return to land to commandeer the Fleece, if it is indeed located. This is the closest land connection from the Sea of Monsters, the most likely place they will return."

I nodded in understanding, glad to have something to do to help. Chiron was right, I wouldn't have stayed long at camp with everyone out on the quest, I felt useless if I stayed here while they were all out trying to save everyone. All the extra manpower we can get, even how little, would be helpful.

"Alright. So make my way down to Florida, see if I can keep an eye on their progress if the opportunity is there, maybe do a bit of spying, and meet up with you?" _Looks like I am really going on another adventure._ This time it seemed like I would be taking it on solo though.

"Yes, but please, be careful. More monsters have started to stir with the disturbances caused last year, I do not know what you might encounter. As I have said, we will need all the help we can manage down here to protect the Fleece when they return. For your journey there is some money located inside my desk in my office. Use it to help you on your travels." The image flickered in warning, our time was almost up.

"Okay Chiron, I'll do my best. I will try to stay in contact, keep me updated if you can and I will do the same. I agree, we need to give them their best bet returning to land." I looked over his shoulder at the dance club and a smile tugged at my lips. "Don't party too hard in the meantime. I know you don't have any more annoying kids to manage, but geez..."

"That would be the Root Beer, I believe." He said tiredly, glancing back at the building to see a centaur with an afro and baby blue-and-pink striped shirt come trotting out of the party, can of soda in each hand. He was followed by a few other uniquely dressed centaurs that were hoisting a table between the lot of them, and for some reason, a giant Rubik's cube. "It looks like I cannot get time away for much longer. Take care of yourself, child."

"Bye, Chiron." I waved just before he cut the message, in the process of turning to the centaurs with the table and Rubik's cube, probably trying to rein in the chaos.

I was glad I made the call to Chiron, I missed him, and I was the only one still at camp not doing anything. I needed to do something to help or I'd go crazy if I continued to stay here. If Chiron wanted help down in Florida then I would be there as soon as I can be.

It was time to leave camp, but not before I made a stop at the Big House. I walked around for a little, cutting between trees and ferns until I slipped behind a cluster of bushes, shadow traveling to the Big House's basement. I made sure to have steady footing this time as I landed and crept up the stairs.

The door creaked lightly as I cracked it open, listening and quieting my breath. Nobody was around but I could hear Tantalus bullying a satyr out on the porch. I slipped through the door and closed it softly behind me. Quickly but silently I made my way to Chiron's office, which was a bit tricky with the floor boards that creaked if you stepped on them wrong.

Soon I found myself rummaging through Chiron's drawers. I pulled out some knickknacks, a kazoo, and a picture of the Big House when it was newer.

"There it is," I said in triumph. I pulled out a little box and opened it, inside was a roll of mortal money. I stuffed it into my pocket and placed everything back where I found it. The LotusCash card I lifted from Las Vegas during last year's quest would get me further but that was locked away safely at our apartment for emergency uses only. Hesitantly I looked down at my Chimera tooth necklace. I didn't know what I would be facing and I had kind of grown to really like the thing. Making my decision I pulled it off and tucked it away under some junk in the draw.

I was just passing the kitchen when Tantalus came in through the screen door at the end of the hallway and spotted me. I stopped dead in my tracks, backpack still hoisted over my back, sword at my side.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Someone looking for some food to run away with?" He started approaching, a look of glee on his face. "Dionysus will be sorry he missed you, he is at Olympus for a briefing. You just can't seem to stay out of trouble now can you?"

"It looks like you don't know when to back off, either." I rested my hand on the sword at my waist and he raised an eyebrow.

"Really now? Trying to steal camp weapons too, are we?"

"You can have it if you want, I have no use for it. You might need it in a few moments though." I said evenly, unbuckling the sword's sheathe and letting it drop to the floor. I wouldn't need it now that I had my new sword, I had only brought it out of habit.

"Now," I started. "I have a little issue you might be able to help me with"

"Oh? Are you in need of more punishments to be assigned? That I will gladly do." He stopped a few feet away from me.

I shook my head. "No. I have a bone to pick with you for being at this camp." I narrowed my eyes, glaring intensely at him.

"You will not threaten any campers again, especially the young or new ones. Or try to scare them. You will do your job as required and no more. You are just a petty fool who let his pride get the best of him, and now you are here. You should be in the Underworld, it's where you belong. This is Chiron's camp, and his job. Not yours."

Tantalus actually laughed, nearly doubling over.

Before I left I would make sure he knew that if he stepped a single toe out of line I would make sure he would get one hell of a visit back downstairs when he goes. I almost smirked, thinking of the note I gave the Stolls. Written on it was the location of the cash of items I had yet to use against Tantalus and note specifying who to exclusively use them on. The remains of the dye along with a nice assortment of fireworks and other goodies I picked up after one of my night patrols were included in that. Tantalus wouldn't know what hit him.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you. If you so choose, I'm sure I could arrange for you to have a nice little trip back to where you should be. I'd be happy to, even. I'm sure Hades would love to have his buddy back, don't you think? To place you back in that water with the delicious fruit just out of reach. By the way, how was breakfast this morning? Oh wait, sorry, you wouldn't know" I smiled.

Normally I wouldn't be this forward, but if I was going to be away from camp rules had to be set. As it was Tantalus growled at me, eye twitching and face hinting at that lovely purple color we saw earlier this morning.

Tantalus lunged forward and made to attack, throwing a punch or something, but I snatched his wrist out of the air and quickly twisted his arm behind his back, activating my necklace. I held the midnight blade to his throat and he stilled, breathing hard.

"You sure you want to do that? I hear this stuff is pretty toxic to your type." I showed him just enough of the blade without moving it too far from his neck to give him space to weasel his way out to make him gulp.

"Wh- where did you get that?" He stuttered.

"A friend gave it to me a long time ago. It's none of you business, but you will do as I say or you will visit Hades the fast way." He tried to push the knife away from his throat in a desperate attempt to get free but I just jerked his arm sharply further back and held the blade closer. He was sweating now.

"I don't think so." I hissed.

"Who are you?"

"I'm somebody you do not want to cross. I'm older and more experienced than I look- this isn't my first rodeo."

I saw his eyes widen.

"Now, you will tell no one of or hint at anything that has happened in this meeting, or anything you have learned here. I went home for the summer, and you gave me permission. That is what you will tell people, and only if they explicitly ask. You will tolerate the campers, no excessive uncalled for punishments or actions. You will allow them to have a watch around the camp borders and call off the harpy patrol."

I leaned in closer. "If this camp goes down, you will go down with it. Am I understood? Now, swear on the Styx that you will abide by the terms I have laid out, and that you will not try to work your way around them in any way, shape, or form. If I find out you didn't follow through, breaking the oath will be the least of your problems. I swear to that on the Styx." There was the sound of distant thunder outside as I said that.

He gulped but nodded just enough to get the point across without the blade digging in further. I pulled my knife from his throat and pushed him away.

Tantalus stumbled forward and scooped up the sword I had discarded. I had been expecting that and slammed the hilt of my knife into his hand as he tried to swing at me- I thought I even heard something crack when I landed the hit- stomping hard on his foot for good measure. He cried out in pain, clutching his hand and tried to take the weight off his foot, sword dropping with a clatter back to the floor. He swung at me with his fist but I slashed at his arm and left a nice sized cut. He yelped again and backed up quickly to the wall, rapidly growing pale from the cut and fear.

"I will! I will! I-I swear to the Styx to abide by your terms! Just get out!" He spluttered, thunder echoing again.

I smirked. "Good. See 'ya, Tantalus. I will know if you keep your oath." I put away my knife and left the Big House, Tantalus still glued to the wall of the hallway behind me.

* * *

 **AN:** Hello all! I'm back so I can write this now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to next week's chapter. It was pretty fun writing this and I stayed up a bit extra last night just to make this chapter ready to post so I only had to do my final edit scan today since I knew I wouldn't have much time after I got home.

Let me just say that each and every one of you rock, and don't think you are not included in that statement because you may not have reviewed or whatever, you are. I just wanted to say it again too: If you have any questions or anything about the stuff I post please feel free to send me a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can and answer as best I can without spoiling things for you or anything. I love seeing you enjoying the story- it makes my day. Also I don't think I've said this in this story yet: If you find any editing errors, typos, or things like that, just let me know and I will fix them (and please do notify me). Enough rambling though, enjoy your week and I will see you next Friday! -TashaMoon :)

(Ps. As a note to S.B. who supports my writing "In Real Life", thank you for being so supportive and always being there for me. I don't know what I would be doing if I hadn't met you. Send me a message when you get up to this point and I hope you have enjoyed reading!)


	6. Chapter 6: Bad Moon Rising

**5/6/16:** Hello all! Hope you had a nice week. I woke up early this morning so I decided to do my edits now and post the next chapter. Let me know what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Bad Moon Rising**

* * *

It was currently June 7th. I had made it to Manhattan easily enough and having purchased tickets south I was now waiting for my bus. I busied myself with looking at a newspaper someone had left on the benches as I waited. _At least I don't have to lug a sword around anymore._ The sword I left behind at camp would have been hard to disguise and a bit overkill to bring with me now that I had my new custom made weapon. As it was, last year I managed to get lucky with the Mist by hiding it under my backpack while in public. I did not want to really try that luck again and risk getting in trouble with the authorities this early in my trip when I was needed elsewhere. Now that I could use the sword Beckendorf and Tyson made me the days of standard camp swords were over, and it was wonderful.

Newspaper in hand I forged my way through an article about some giant crater discovered in Antarctica that dated back millions of years to pass time. I glanced at my ticket again, checking the time on the display across the street. _Bus should be here in just a few minutes._ I was at the same Greyhound station Percy and Annabeth said they used last year, but my ticket was to Charleston, South Carolina this time. It was about a twelve hour ride in total but it was the furthest I could get myself while still keeping some money in the reserves.

The bus rolled up and the passengers waiting around me started boarding. I stood up from my seat, rolled up my paper figuring I might as well have something to do on the ride even if it was difficult to read, and joined the line. I kept an eye out for potential monsters but things seemed pretty clear at the moment. Most of the people getting on looked to be fairly normal, aside from this one lady with a _very_ large colorful homemade purse, and a man with a rooster hat, but I figured that was just New York. Stuff like that wasn't too uncommon in the city. I had debated dropping by and visiting Sally before I left but disregarded the idea some time ago. My reasoning was that she would only get more worried if she found out exactly what was going on and it would only just make it that much harder to leave.

I chose a seat near the back of the bus to be able to observe everything and settled into my seat for the long ride. This was my first quest-type trip I had gone on alone in years, unless you count the whole 'being-dropped-off-as-a-toddler-fifty-years-after-I-died-without-a-clue-what-was-going-on-and-making-a-new-life' thing. I dug a pen out of my bag and began to doodle on the paper in my hand as the bus pulled away from the station, butting its way into the line of vehicles that crowded the city street.

* * *

We passed farmland, other highways, and large towns on the ride to Charleston. I spent a majority of my time just taking in my ever-changing surroundings. The rest of it was spent either doodling, reading the newspaper I brought, or strategizing. I found myself constantly turning my Cerberus ring around on my finger in anticipation, but for what I wasn't entirely sure. _Chiron said monsters were stirring from Kronos, there's no telling what I might encounter._ My dream of me fighting a lycanthrope under a streetlight echoed in my mind the further I got from camp.

As my bus progressed further south the land started to even out some and there was slowly growing to be less and less steep hills, unlike the area surrounding New York. The closer we got to Baltimore the more people and houses I saw. Soon we pulled off the highway and rolled into the first stop.

Once I stepped off the bus the dying heat of the setting sun hit me, the moderately cool temperature of the bus leaking through the open double doors. The Greyhound station wasn't a huge one, but it did its job. People got off busses and taxis took them into the central part of Baltimore, the overpasses of the highway near the water at the building's end.

I stood under the overhanging roof and watched the traffic. By the entrance there was a small garden filled with purple flowers and what looked like a footpath trailing closer to the water. A small bridge spanned over the water to connect it to the rest of the path that lead into a miniature wooded area. A man announced that there would be a one hour layover until the next bus came to pick us up for the rest of our journey. He suggested we stretch our legs and get any food we wanted in this time, or use the restrooms.

 _Looks like I have time to kill._ I hiked up my backpack and entered the building. Inside there wasn't a lot but I found a vending machine and got some cold water from the fountain. From there I decided to hit up the footpath. I backtracked the trail on the opposite side of the chain link fence, which lead to a back area that allowed you to get to the path. It was still humid for this time of day but there was a nice balmy breeze in the air to keep you relatively cool.

As I walked down the path and over the little bridge I looked to the miniature waterfall that lead to the path of water I was crossing. I found myself smiling at the distinct memory of Percy when he fell face-first into a fountain in Central Park when he was five. I continued on, keeping in mind where the station was in my head. _I hope they are staying safe... they only just managed to get away from Luke._

It had taken roughly five hours in total to get to Baltimore, traffic included, so the night was approaching. I found myself following a sign that read "Carroll Park" as the trail filtered out onto a street. I made a stop inside a sub shop to pick myself up a sandwich and grabbed a water to bring with me for later- you never know when you might need it.

Carroll Park looked pretty big, not nearly as big as Central Park, but still nice. The path I followed lead me past some baseball diamonds and near a playground and skate park. Sally's offer the morning we left for camp came to mind when I saw that- to take us to the skate shop and record store to soften the blow of being told we couldn't go to camp. _Well, that plan went swimmingly._

There were a few people in the park, but a lot less than there would be at the height of the day. Most were inside eating dinner by now. I chose a seat at a bench to eat, the metal cooling with the fading sun. A pair of mothers with their two little kids, probably about four, were walking back home for the day. One was a little girl with light brown hair, the other a boy with dark hair. They were chasing each other in circles around their mothers as they walked, laughing in the care-free way only kids their age could. I realized I was smiling- they reminded me of Nick and me when we were younger.

As I watched them grow further away I ended up picturing the two of us on that day we went into Denver after our first time getting in a decent amount of trouble at school. It had been the day Nick accidently electrocuted Clyde Brockman after he tried to push him into the supply closet as he was grabbing a spare eraser for our teacher. That had lead into a while big thing and nobody could figure out for the life of them how Clyde got shocked. That was our first full school year together, Ms. Evans moving them from the Fort Collins area at the end of the previous school year.

Nick was just one of the faces I used to have in my life that were no longer present, made doubly worse by the circumstances we parted in. Him no longer being around was one of the realities I had to adapt to. Sure it had been years, but you couldn't really just erase those old memories. Memories like that were what helped shape you into the person you are today. Having someone by your side for the better part of a decade really made you feel the loss once they were gone, like a part of you vanishing. My mother too, but I at least knew what happened with her.

I used to catch myself looking into crowds in the idle hope of somehow seeing him or my mom within the mass of faces. Becoming emerged in this new life helped with the loss, enjoying what I had now and forging new connections, but I still had my moments as anyone would. Things had gotten a bit harder when I came back to camp again but it had improved a lot since the quest.

Last year's quest gave me two new friends I knew I could rely on. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover all knew of my past by the end of it so I was able to be more open with them since, to not have to hide a big part of my life constantly.

I hadn't realized my sandwich was long since finished and when I looked up at the clock on a nearby building the hour layover had nearly passed, and it was much darker. The final rays of light were falling behind the horizon.

I stood, tossed the paper from my sandwich into a trash bin, hoisted my bag up from the seat beside me, and started off for the Greyhound station. I would not miss the bus. The streetlights were already illuminating the roads back.

The closer I grew to the station the more I started to feel an eerie sense of foreboding. Looking around I felt like I had seen this place before, and not just from my walk over to the park.

Suddenly there was a low growling coming from the darkness between two buildings and it all clicked into place.

I back pedaled away from the alley and activated my bracelet and necklace out of instinct. The growling stopped for a brief moment but quickly picked up again with renewed vigor. A pair of glowing red eyes appeared out of the darkness. As they grew closer I got a better look at the thing. It was bigger than a Great Dane and had black fur, its eyes intelligent.

When it stepped into the light edging into the entrance of the alley I saw the monster in full and cursed, realizing which sword I had activated. I quickly switched them out, mind flying immediately to where the test of its pack could be. I knew these things never strayed far from the pack. I didn't know if stygian iron had any effect on these guys but at least Chiron had the foresight to mention silver- I was not eager to test the possibility of the stygian iron. _I will never understand that centaur's knowledge._

The lycanthrope suddenly emitted a howl and my heart sank as a chorus of howls joined in from the direction of the park. _They know where I am now._ I cursed again, verbally this time. From the sound of it there were at least a dozen of these things. I needed to get to the bus station ASAP.

The wolf emerged from the alley, stalking onto the street and we started circling each other, intensely eyeing the other.

"Call off your pack. You don't want to mess with me." I said as forcefully as I could. This was a very bad situation. The wolf just growled more in response, baring its teeth. It had dried blood on its maw and its teeth were visibly sharp. I heard the sounds of paws and nails on asphalt growing closer and within just a few seconds the whole pack had joined the scout and I on the road.

One of the wolves standing at the front of the pack immediately caught my eye. He was bigger than the rest, dauntingly almost horse sized.

I swallowed. "I take it you're Lycaon?" I said to the clear alpha of the pack, trying to keep my voice steady. I was in deep dodooo.

The alpha growled then started transforming before my very eyes. I found myself frozen as he took the shape of a man. Greasy hair and a crown of human finger bones were his two most apparent features. The bones didn't faze me, but he wore robes of tattered pelts, uncured. Once the smell hit me I pressed the back of my hand that was holding my knife to my nose to block the stink as best I could. It was revolting. Lycaon's face- I assumed it was him anyway -was pulled taught against his skull. His teeth even in human form were like fangs, eyes glowing red just like the rest of his pack.

"Yes, I am Lycaon, king of the werewolves. I understand that you are the Cooper girl?" He drawled. I stood rooted to my spot. _How does he know who I am?_

"I don't see how that would matter, unless you have orders to find her or something." That was the only explanation I could think of as to why they would be specifically searching for me and it was not comforting whatsoever.

"That would be funny though," I continued. "A king taking orders... some king he would be." I backed further away in the direction of the station. There were no cars passing and not a single soul in sight. It was as if this part of the city was uninhabited, completely devoid of life, which I knew to be false. It may be for the better though, the less mortals caught in the crossfire, especially those kids earlier, the better. Sure a nice fire truck ramming into the lot of them would be nice, but that wouldn't be happening sadly. _It must be the aura his pack is giving off that's keeping them away._ I knew I could pick up on it myself and it made me really want to get away from here even if they hadn't been right in front of me.

Lycaon laughed, a sharp laugh that resembled a bark. "I lead this pack. There is a bounty placed on your head and I am looking to collect. You are lucky, you are wanted alive. Or... at least, barely." He got a wicked grin on his face upon saying that. The hair on the back of my neck rose and I knew I wouldn't be catching that bus.

Lycaon flexed his claws. "Now enough talk, collect her." He raised his arm out as he said this and his growling pack leapt to charge me. _Fudge._

I turned and sprinted for all I was worth, only taking the time to whip my arm back and launch my knife at Lycaon as I went. He managed to make it glance off his claws and sent me a look as if to say: _That the best you can do?_ The first wolf nearly toppled me over until I swung my sword in a wide arch behind me, cutting its neck. Its cries were quickly silenced as it fell to the ground dead, melting into a puddle of shadow behind me just like a hellhound. This caused the rest of the wolves to hesitate briefly, realizing I was actually able to hurt them.

"Yeah, that's right! Silver, so don't mess with me! Κανε πισω!" I yelled behind me, though me being in the process of running for my life probably didn't help put much threat behind that. I called back my knife with a flick of my hand, holding it tight in my grip as I ran, ready to block anything that came at me. I heard Lycaon snarl and yell at his pack to not be cowards and attack. Upon a cursory glance back I saw him transforming to give chase himself.

The pack was gaining ground, swarming me. My lungs burned as my feet beat against the blacktop. I was running faster than I ever had before, desperate to get away.

I spun and slashed at the closest wolf that tried to jump me as I passed under a streetlight and continued running. The sounds of the armada of paws at my heels was steadily growing louder as the distance closed. I cursed rapidly in my head as I ran for my stupidity. I should have realized this was the place my dream took place in sooner and gotten the heck out of Dodge.

In a flash I made up my mind as I rounded a corner, feet nearly slipping on the sharp turn, catching sight of my escape route. I leaped into the shadow of a mailbox, swiping at the wolf lunging for me. The only thing on my mind as I pulled myself into the shadows was _Away!_

I was rushing through the inky darkness of the shadows, trying to put as much distance as I could between the me and the wolves. I could just make out the distinct metallic tremor echoing as a wolf slammed into the mail bin but I didn't let myself enjoy the face-plant. I needed to get away and I was already feeling my energy draining as I tried to find a spot to land.

Like a dot suddenly appearing on a radar I sensed a spot that held an important type of energy around it. I was spit out of the shadows, crashing onto my side and snapping twigs. I quickly scrambled to a standing position only to have to duck down again to prevent my head from going further into the bush I had landed under. I stood there for a moment, breathing hard to catch my breath, heart pounding.

There weren't too many people around from what I could see, but there were a few further along the path that ran parallel to my bush. I shuffled out from under the branches and leaves and emerged next to a light post. I quickly sheathed my weapons as I looked around. No monsters in sight as of yet. I let my shoulders sag in relief.

Observing my surroundings more thoroughly I noticed a monument to my left. It was a large fountain and pool with two structures on the sides, walls wrapping around the path. An obelisk was reaching high into the evening sky, illuminated by floodlights at the base out of sight. The structure closest to me read "Atlantic"... that or "Atlantis." I went with Atlantic.

Curiosity getting the better of me I walked down the path and under the archway. A woman was inside taking a picture of the fountain to my right. After it looked like she was finished with her photo I approached her. She looked nice enough, probably a mother given her demeanor... maybe a grandmother.

"Hello ma'am. Uh, would you be able to tell me where this is?" I cautiously took a step forward, gesturing vaguely to the monument around us.

"Oh, hello dear! Lovely day it was. Where this is? This is the National World War II Memorial, sweetie. If you are looking for the Washington Monument it is right over there, most people are. Can't miss it." She pointed off to the left and I turned to see the obelisk. _Washington Monument indeed._ So _had_ apparently traveled to Washington D.C. It kind of weirded me out that I arrived right by the World War II monument, but I decided to push that aside for the moment. _No wonder the energy was sort of off here, between the obelisk and the monument._ Obelisks I've found have always seemed to have an odd type of energy about them.

I thanked the woman and wandered down the ramp to the fountain while she went to take another photo. There were still some people about, which I would only expect given where I was. I felt tired from shadow traveling but I knew I still needed to get further away from Lycaon and his pack. They were trackers and this distance they could probably close relatively easily to find me again.

I pulled around my bag and dug out the spray bottle, filling it up using the little pond closest to the Atlantic structure. This garnered some odd looks but I needed the water if I wanted to make the I-M and I didn't want to use my drinking water with this so easily available. Now I just needed to find a good place to make the call.

Drifting down the path, down the Reflecting Pool and past the Lincoln Memorial, a cluster of trees finally caught my eye. They were more secluded and off the path, perfect for the call. I hid behind the leaves out of sight and pulled out my flashlight. I sat down, flicked on the light and propped it between my knees so it shone upward. I started squirting the water into the light, praying to Iris for a successful rainbow.

"Thank you!" I quickly pulled out a drachma and flipped it into the faint display of colors. "Chiron, near Miami, Florida. Please." I held my breath as the connection worked its way to the centaur.

"Chiron!" I called out, breathing a sigh of relief as his image appeared. He looked like he was in some kind of cliché hippie encampment. There were the sounds of others coming from the background and I figured it was the other centaurs he was staying with.

Chiron turned, eyebrows going up in surprise and set down his book. "Oh, Allison! I was not expecting to hear from you so soon. Are you okay?"

I rubbed hand down my face and exhaled a long breath. "Yeah... about that. My bus trip got cut short. Lycaon and his pack were at the first stop. I'm in Washington D.C. now, but I need to get further away. I managed to ditch them in Baltimore for the most part. We have a bigger problem though."

This bit of information I learned from Lycaon threw a whole wrench into our plans. "Chiron, Lycaon said something about there being a bounty for my capture. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound good to me. My best bet right now is that it's Luke's doing, and according to Lycaon I am wanted alive. Or, as he specified, 'just barely' in the least."

Chiron's already worried face quickly grew even more worried. "That is indeed a problem." He agreed, looking pensive about that, like he was trying to formulate a possible reason but it was still in the works. "Were you able to get away without injury?" A fatherly concerned tone was present in his voice when he asked this.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I managed to get one of them but I had to shadow travel out. Worst injury any of the other wolves got was probably just a mail bin to the face. You know, sometimes I really think you can see the future... just saying. I took you up on your suggestion about a silver weapon, it helped. Beckendorf and Tyson made a sword for me." I held up my hand to display my Cerberus ring.

Chiron feigned innocence. "Hmm, silver weapon? I haven't the faintest idea as to what you are talking about." I rolled my eyes at his antics. Chiron's face then turned more grim.

"Allison, it is imperative that you do not allow yourself to be captured. I do not know what they want with you, but it cannot be good. I have to stay here to keep watch, otherwise I would meet you halfway." He studied me for a brief moment.

"Keep traveling south and once you reach Miami send me another message. I will be able to find you then and bring you to the camp I am staying at. Be careful, do not drain your energy. You will need it if you have another unexpected visitor. I suggest aiming for Charleston, but I would take a night to rest before you take the leap. Try it in two parts, sleep between if you can."

Part of me wanted to say that I already knew it was important not to let myself get caught, but that went without saying really. It seemed like he had the same idea I had about aiming to pass through Charleston though.

"Okay, hopefully we will meet up again soon. Good luck down there, Chiron. Don't party too hard. I will try to keep in touch. If something happens or you get any news, send me a message." A small smile edged its way onto his lips.

"I will be sure not to 'party too hard', as you say. Best of luck to you, and be careful please." I nodded and waved my hand through his image. The rainbow dissipated and I shut off my light to conserve its battery, stretching out my other hand that had been pumping the squirt bottle. In my mind I was very aware of the fact that Lycaon and his pack were probably just getting closer to me by the minute. They were hunters, and you didn't want to cross paths with them at all if it could be helped. Now I was specifically on their hit list.

I packed up my belongings and glanced around to confirm that nobody had seen the Iris-Message. The nearest person was a lot further down the path, talking with another man.

I closed my eyes and focused on the shadows around me, pulling my backpack up over my shoulder. I felt a tug in my gut and the eerie sounds and whispers surrounded me accompanied by a cold rushing sensation. I tried to picture a map of North Carolina in my head, figuring it was a decent midpoint. Preferably I wanted somewhere near the coast too. One of the only places I could think of at the moment for some reason was the lost Roanoke Colony, it resonated in my head.

After a few more seconds I landed in the woods, stumbling over my own two feet and I had to throw my arms out to keep upright. The ground was grassy but with sand in it, clearly indicating I was near the water. The air smelled a bit like the ocean too. I glanced around, yawning as the drain from shadow traveling pulled even more at my mind. I looked around for a good place to rest for the night.

Unsure how safe I would be on the ground I decided to take up a post on one of the branches of a nearby tree. I would be high enough off the ground to keep me out of easy reach of anything down below, but not too high up. Definitely not as high as the rock wall at camp, so I figured I would be safe.

I climbed, testing each limb before putting my full weight on it. There weren't a lot of low branches so I had to shimmy my way up the trunk the first number of feet to grasp onto the lowest branch, but I made it. By the time I found a good branch to settle in on I was around twenty feet up. The branch split into a nice V shape and was fairly thick, enough to hold my weight for a long period of time.

I carefully nestled myself in near the trunk of the tree, looping my backpack around the branch and pulling it back over me in hopes that it would act like a kind of mechanism to secure me while I was asleep. It was the best I could do for the moment so it would have to do. It was a bit chilly now that the sun was set but I would manage for the night. A few minutes of watching the stars though the canopy of green above me and I finally fell asleep.

* * *

 **AN:** Quick translation for you: Κανε πισω is Greek for "Back Off". Also I just read the batman bit about the last chapter in a review and had to laugh xD Anyways, enjoy your week and I look forward to seeing your reactions! Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7: Aquarium

**5/13/16:** Hello all! Hope you had a nice week. Boy this chapter is a long one, just over 7k words on its own. Longest chapter yet. Anyway, enjoy, more AN at the bottom :)

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Aquarium**

* * *

That night I spent up in the tree I had a dream. It started with flashes of Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson fighting a hydra and images of a large cruise ship sailing across the water nearing a cluster of lights on the land. I saw Luke's malicious smile as he stood in the room of my previous dream, the night dark outside the glass. He was talking to the eerie golden sarcophagus, two large bear men standing guard at the door, another figure hidden in the shadows.

My dream changed after that to what looked like an old ironclad warship chugging along dangerously toward a straight. To one side of the straight was a gigantic whirlpool and the other held a rough cliff face. I caught sight of something almost snake-like moving around among the rocks as the boat neared, dark smoke pouring from the vessel. My dream was about to zoom in closer to see the figures on deck but a voice suddenly cut through my dream.

"Fine morning for tree climbing."

My eyes flew open and my hand grasped for my ring but I must have moved wrong because I suddenly found myself crashing down to the ground below. I let out a yelp as I fell through the branches, getting knocked around as twigs and leaves became detached as I passed. I landed with a grunt flat on my back, head following my body half a second later. The impact of the fall knocked the wind out of me and my vision cut out for a second once my head hit the sandy grass. The next moment there was a rustling and a loud thud to my right.

I coughed, though it was probably more like a wheeze as I tried to get air back into my lungs, back aching from the impact.

"Oh my gods- I'm so sorry!" A young female voice said from a little ways above me. I groaned and blinked my eyes hard to make the blurry shapes come into focus. There was a face hovering over me, a girl's. She had short blonde hair that was falling to her chin as she peered down at me, worry in her blue eyes.

I felt hands gently pulling me up into a sitting position. My eyesight was still a little fuzzy from the hit so I gave my head a good shake to clear it.

"I didn't know you were asleep, I'm sorry I made you fall!" The girl rushed out. I felt her pulling twigs from my hair like a worried mother. I gave my head a shake again to clear my thoughts, the abrupt awakening from the middle of a dream had thrown me. I took another great breath of air.

"Some wakeup call... gah," I wheezed, rubbing my side.

"Are you hurt?" The girl questioned from her spot crouched next to me. I shook my head.

"Just got the wind knocked out of me." I reassured her.

"Here's your backpack." I saw her reach off to the right and pull over the black mass that was my bag. I realized that must have been the thud I heard after I landed as it fell behind me. I thanked her, giving my head a shake again. "Um, if you don't mind me asking... why were you sleeping in a tree?"

I turned to her and really took in her appearance. She looked about sixteen by my guess, and had on jean shorts with a blue T-shirt tucked in at the waistband that read:

NORTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM  
ROANOKE ISLAND

There was a little fish on the shirt too. She had a messenger bag laying on the ground next to her, resting against her ankle. Her eyes were almost the color of the water of the Sound back at camp, that special shade of blue. My brain then seemed to finally process what she had said when I fell. She said _gods_ , not God. _Is she a demigod?_

Some of the things from my bag had fallen out when it fell. My spare shirt, the squirt bottle, and some spare ambrosia were littered on the ground. I saw her eyeing the ambrosia.

"Are you on a quest?" She asked without any preamble. This stunned me. I opened my mouth to reply but no words came out.

"Oh, don't worry. You don't have to hide it. My mom is a Nereid, so I know all about that stuff. Are you from the camp in New York?"

I fumbled for words but nothing came out, completely flummoxed. _What is happening?_

"My name is Lyn, by the way. What's yours?"

"Uh, Allison." I managed. Lyn beamed at me.

"Nice to meet you, Allison! Sorry for the surprise earlier. I was just on my way to the aquarium- my dad works there and I help volunteer. It's just a little ways that way." She pointed off in a direction. "Do you want to come and freshen up? You look like you could use a nice meal or something. How about you come with me there, to make up for making you fall? They have showers too, and food." She offered.

I stared at the girl in front of me, unbelieving of the situation and my apparent luck. Out of all the places I could have landed, I landed right in the path of someone else who knew about the Greek world. That, and she didn't seem to want to kill me, which was a big bonus when coming across someone who knows.

"Um, okay?" It sounded more like a question but Lyn took it as the go-ahead. She smiled at me again, collected the items that had fallen from my bag and put them in, zipping it up for me. She stood and held her hand out o me. I looked at it for a moment before realizing that she meant for me to take it. I grasped her hand and she pulled me up, my back giving a satisfying crack as I stood. I rolled my shoulders a little and scooped up my backpack as Lyn picked up her own.

"Come on, follow me. It's just a short walk." She started strolling off in the direction she had pointed, hands swinging at her sides. I stood there for a second before quickly catching up and walked alongside her. Lyn told me all about the aquarium and the different animals that lived there as we walked, chatting away happily.

A few minutes later, as promised, we came up to a parking lot, the trees giving way to a large piece of land. I could just make out the sound of the waves against the beach off to my right somewhere. I couldn't get the thought out of my head as to why exactly I was following this random girl I just met, but for some reason I felt like it was safe enough to do so.

Lyn led me around to the staff entrance of the large building. There weren't many cars parked in the lot as they weren't open yet, but there were a few that must have belonged to workers ere taking up spots.

"Dad always comes here early to feed the alligators. Did you know, this aquarium has the largest collection of sharks in the state?" I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm as she led me though to the locker room.

"There are a few showers back there if you want to take one- we need them so we can get clean before interacting with some of the animals. There should be shampoo already in there too. I'm going to tell Dad you're here. If you need me just call." She grinned at me after pointing me to the woman's showers and to where the towels were kept and practically skipped out to find her dad, the bounce in her step never waning from earlier.

I watched her go for a moment, bemused and still not entirely believing this whole situation. Here was a girl who just after meeting me not even fifteen minutes ago was taking me in and giving me a place to rest. Heck, it wasn't often you got to take a shower while out on a quest, and I sure wasn't going to waste the opportunity with it so readily available.

I dropped my bag off on the bench outside and took advantage of the facilities. There was indeed already shampoo there, too.

When I finished I found a pair of clothes and a brush sitting on the bench next to my bag. It looked like a shirt just like the one Lyn was wearing and a pair of shorts from what was probably the gift shop. I shrugged and changed, taking the time to actually brush out my hair and throw it back with a hair tie, tucking away the bobby pin I always kept there again.

I folded up my towel, stuffed my old clothes into my bag, and carried them both out to the staff room we walked through earlier. Lyn was seated at one the tables reading something off a clipboard, bag next to her, bowl of pretzels on the table

I lingered near the door. "Thanks for helping me, Lyn. Were you able to find your dad?" I wandered up to the table and pulled up a seat. Lyn looked up from her clipboard and smiled.

"Glad to help, and yeah. He isn't able to get away until later but he wanted me to say 'Hi' for him. So, what brings you to the island?"

I hesitated. "Well, that's actually kind of a long story."

"You did come from the camp though, right?"

"Yeah, I'm from the camp. Chiron- you've heard of Chiron, right?" She nodded, picking at the pretzels on the table. "Well, he is down in Miami right now." I studied her for a moment, weighing what to say. For some reason, despite my usual aversion to trusting people so easily, it somehow felt different with Lyn. She just had this kind of aura about her that just made you feel very welcomed and that you really could trust her. She had been a big help and she seemed genuinely interested and happy to have me here too.

"The camp is kind of in a bit of trouble right now." I started. "The borders were damaged and a quest is going on right now to help fix them. The thing that the magic for the borders is centered around is dying. The quest, my friends went out on it, though they technically aren't a part of it. They just snuck out to help."

I took a bite of the pretzel I had been turning around in my hand. "The quest actually takes them into the Sea of Monsters. We think our other friend is in trouble along with the borders dying, so they are trying to do what they can for him too." I thought back on the dream I was having right before Lyn woke me up. That scene, given the whirlpool and craggy cliff face, made me think that they had made it at least to the entrance. The whirlpool and Scylla, or I figured it was her anyway, were iconic to the entrance. As to why they were on an old ironclad warship was beyond me though.

"Percy, I uh... kinda grew up with him, he is like a brother. I'm adopted. Anyway, he is a son of Poseidon and he and his half-brother left with our other friend, Annabeth on the quest. It was their idea to begin with, the objective of the quest, but someone else was sent out. Our hope is that he will have the home field advantage out there, so might help the quest along and make it safer for everyone." Lyn's eyes seemed to have lit up at the mention of someone else related to the sea but she was still listening intently.

"Percy, Annabeth, Grover and I went on a quest last year together. Grover, the friend in trouble, is a satyr by the way. Right now though I am making my way down to Miami to meet up with Chiron. He and I both think the quest group is going to be intercepted when they try to come back to the mainland. I-er.. am not really a sea person, so I didn't go with them on the main quest, but I'm going to help in Miami."

Lyn hummed as she thought and I picked at another pretzel.

"You say Chiron is in Miami," She finally said. "Isn't he the camp director, so shouldn't he be up at the camp?"

I shifted in my seat and I actually felt my face darken. "Yeah, normally he would be, but the thing with that is that the gods blamed him for failing to foresee the attack on the borders. He was sacked and now this other guy was put in charge- he is an imbecile and terrible at his job, and should not be allowed near kids in the first place. He doesn't care about the camp being able to survive at all. We were only just able to get a quest out, even if he did assign it to someone else."

She nodded, pensive. "You mentioned an attack on the borders and the quest being intercepted, was it a monster or something else? The way you talk about it makes me feel like it isn't just a simple monster we're talking about..."

I grimaced. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't really be too in the loop about what's going on, not being at camp and all. Heck, a majority of camp still doesn't know."

"Know what? Is something bigger going on?" She leaned forward, resting her forearms on the table.

"There is. Remember the quest last summer I mentioned?" She nodded in affirmation. "You might have noticed the weird weather last year... well, Zeus's master bolt had been stolen." Her eyes widened at this but I continued speaking.

"Everyone blamed Percy because of his dad, and because there aren't really supposed to be kids of the Big three around anymore since around World War II times." I stopped myself from clenching my teeth. "The magic center of the borders is focused around a tree- we call it Thalia's pine. Thalia was a daughter of Zeus who was dying where the tree is while trying to get to camp, just on the outskirts of it. The last child of the Big Three in recent history. Her dad turned her into the tree right before she died so she wouldn't go to the Underworld." I bit my lip at this. Dad was the reason Zeus didn't want her down there.

In a way though, Lyn had a right to know what was actually happening out there. She wasn't really able to come to camp with who her mom was, but that wouldn't stop someone like Luke from trying to recruit her if he found her. The kids that actually knew what was going on would stand a better chance at being able to avoid the whole mess. Just because you weren't aware didn't give you a free pass in their book.

"The kid who stole the bolt, his name is Luke. His stunt nearly caused a war between Zeus and Poseidon, and the gods in general. We got the master bolt back but found out why it was really stolen. K-Zeus's father? He is trying to rise, Luke was trying to get the bolt to him."

Lyn looked visible paler at this, mouth slightly agape. "You mean, 'Titan King' dad?"

I nodded.

"Well... damn. I knew about the weird weather but not that little bit of information. Kind of important. So, he ordered the attack to damage the tree then, right?"

"Yeah, that's our assumption anyway. To be honest though? Things are only going to go more downhill from here. I... well let's just say I can tell this whole thing won't be resolved easily."

"Things seem pretty at odds up there in New York." Lyn said in understanding.

"Yeah... I figured you had a right to know the dangers out there... not knowing wouldn't stop it from impacting you."

Lyn gave me a warm smile. I knew very well that Kronos wouldn't be giving up just like that, this whole thing would come to a climax sooner or later... it was really just a matter of time. I rubbed a hand down my face and rested my elbow on the table. The Fates seemed to enjoy keeping everyone on their toes, between the last war and this impending one, in addition to dragging me out of my time to fight in this one.

I hadn't realized I had been quiet for a few minutes until Lyn spoke up. "You mentioned you weren't too big on the sea. Does your parent have a thing with Poseidon, or do you just not really like the water?"

I felt my mouth go slightly dry. She had picked up on that little slip, but it was too late to take it back now. "I'm unclaimed in the Hermes cabin. As for the water... it just was never really my thing, no offence. I don't mind if the water isn't too deep, but a sea full of monsters wouldn't really pan out too well."

We fell into a comfortable silence as Lyn wrote some things down on her clipboard. She had returned to it after a little when I was being quiet.

"So," I finally started after going through some more pretzels. "Heavier stuff aside, how long have you known who your mom is?" I knew camp basically excluded children of nature spirits even though they were still out there and a part of the Greek world, just like minor gods and gods not on the Olympian counsel. I was curious though, this was the first person I had actually met like her.

She hummed again before answering. "Oh, I've known since I was about six. Not really a camp for kids like me out there, so I get to live with my dad. We don't really attract too many monsters, I've only had a few minor encounters, and I'm fifteen."

"Thirteen." I supplied in response. Sally figured that I was a number of months younger than Percy, so we counted the day I arrived as my birthday, which it actually was.

"And you've already been on a quest? Takes guts." Her eyebrow was raised and she nodded in appreciation. I felt my face warm slightly and decided to change the topic. I didn't really like delving into my past experiences like quests too much- it made me feel almost like I was trying to show off whenever I talked about them.

"Thanks for the clothes by the way, how much do I owe you?" I asked, hand reaching into my bag for the money I had from Chiron's office. I knew she wouldn't just be able to take from the gift shop, even if she volunteered here.

Lyn took a hold of my wrist and pulled my hand away, eyes lingering briefly on my Cerberus ring before moving on. "No, no. Our treat, honest. We're glad to help out, and by the sounds of it your camp needs it. So, you have a safe trip so far I hope?"

I had paused before going to answer and Lyn fixed me with a look. "I'll take that as a 'not quite.' You didn't get hurt, did you?" Her face showed concern and I saw her eyes scan me over, searching for any visible damage.

"No, I was able to get away in time. Not my first monster, but I admit I would have been in a bit of trouble had I not left when I did."

"What made you decide to pass by?"

I had to think for a second. "Pass by the island? Oh, uh..." I didn't really know how exactly to reply to that. I wasn't really very keen on potentially scaring away the first person who helped me out on this trip and a potential friend by saying I shadow traveled, hence a Hades kid.

"I may have taken the wrong bus." I answered, causing her to laugh.

"That explains it, we aren't really a main route of travel, if you hadn't already noticed. We do get some tourists for the Lost Colony though."

"Oh yeah, Roanoke. Makes sense." I idly wondered that had I landed any closer to the Lost Colony if I could have come upon any ghosts. Nobody really knew what happened to the colony so long ago, it was still a mystery. I might have to come back here one day to check it out.

Lyn scribbled something down on the clipboard and stood, setting down her pen and clasping her hands together. "So, ready to see the animals and pick up some actual food?" She had this bright grin on her face that was infectious. I smiled and stood up myself.

"Sure."

* * *

Lyn confiscated my old clothes and put them in the washing machine before giving me a tour of the facilities. I noticed the animals all seemed to naturally gravitate toward her as she neared each of their enclosures, just like with Percy. Fish swam up to the glass and eels poked their heads out of their hiding places. She showed me the alligators, which were contentedly sunning themselves, the shark wing, and even some stingrays. Seeing those made me smile at the memory of Percy in his Halloween costume: a stingray. He had taken to flapping his arms jokingly when we raced to the next house to make it look like he was flying when we went out that night with Tyson.

I was able to meet Mark Irving- Lyn's father -when we came back to the staff room. He was a nice man, brown hair, and a bit on the taller side. His eyes were blue just like his daughter, but a different shade from Lyn's whose eyes reminded me strongly of the water. Mark was a lot like Lyn too: joyful, enthusiastic about the aquarium, and very welcoming.

We picked my clothes up from the dryer- which they somehow found their way into -and after I insisted on changing back into what I arrived in Lyn took me to get some food at the place just across the way. I didn't really want to possibly ruin one of her shirts, it was almost a given on quests. She told me a bit about the airport that was housed right next to the aquarium too but she was more knowledgeable about the aquarium itself.

We ate our food near the water and exchanged more stories with each other. She told me about when she found out she could breathe underwater, how her dad had rushed into the surf to find her because she wasn't coming back up to the surface. In return I told her about some of the field trip mishaps Percy and I have had, taking particular care to include the shark story. Once I told her about that catwalk catastrophe she burst into laughter, nearly spitting out some of her drink before she could stop it.

While we were finishing up the last of our food the short silence we had lapsed into was broken by Lyn.

"You know, if you are related to the Underworld I won't judge. You seem like a pretty awesome person, I honestly don't see why people get so spooked by that kinda thing." She said, giving me a thoughtful look.

I blanched and nearly choked on a piece of my chicken. Once I swallowed it I was frozen, hand covering my ring."Wh-what? Why would you- I don't- I'm not-"

"Relax Ally, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to. We are kind of in the same boat with the whole no cabins deal too anyways. Hah... get it? Same boat?" She gave me a goofy grin and I shook my head, a small smile breaking across my face despite the situation.

"Anyway, cheesy jokes aside," she continued. "To me it doesn't really matter who your parent might be. Heck, I think it's cool. From the things I've read, some of the powers you might be able to have sound pretty awesome. I mean, I read this one thing about a kid of Big H who was able to travel through the shadows! How cool is that?"

I stared at her for a long moment. This girl was like nobody I had ever met. I could see how some less observant and ignorant people might think she was just a ball of unfocused energy, not paying much attention to things. That was kind of common with kids with ADHD, but Lyn was actually pretty observant and smart. She clearly knew how to have a fun time but seemed to always be watchful of others, paying mind to the smaller details. Most people would be, as she put it: 'spooked' by the whole Underworld thing too, but not her apparently. She was able to figure it out on her own and didn't freak out about it when she did.

"Well... I guess the ring doesn't do anything to help hide it much." I conceded, pulling off the piece of jewelry and twisting it around in my hand. Lyn gave a small laugh, nodding in agreement.

"I get why you probably wouldn't go around advertising it to everybody, but some people might be able to piece it together even if you don't necessarily want them to. What's the story you tell people with your ring, anyway?"

I felt my hand grip the ring a bit tighter at the 'piece it together even if you don't want them to' thing. I pushed it aside and held up the ring a little. "This thing? I just say I found it in a monster den on my trip last year. Before I left camp I actually got Tyson- Percy's half-brother -and the head of the Hephaestus cabin to make it into a sword for me." I looked to her, taking in her relaxed posture. It hadn't changed throughout the day, even since she made the connection about the ring and my dad. "But yeah, my dad is 'Big H', though I don't recommend calling him that to his face."

Lyn grinned, eyes having lit up upon mention of my sword and she scooted herself closer."Can I see the sword? I have a weapon like that too, if you want to see it."

I let out a laugh at her excitement and obliged, turning my ring into its sword form and passing it to her. She eagerly examined the sword, running her hand over the Cerberus engraving and testing the sharpness and balance.

"This is awesome!" She handed it back to me and proceeded to pull off one of her bracelets as I turned my sword back. All of her bracelets were ocean themed but this one was a bit different. It reminded me of a fisherman's rope and it had a seahorse charm connecting the ends of it. A second later Lyn was holding a wooden recurve bow and a sheathe of arrows was next to her.

"It was a gift from Mom." She explained, passing it to me. I took it and started looking it over. It was really well made and the wood was nice and smooth. "The arrows are celestial bronze, it's what I use to get rid of the monsters when they show up." I nodded while testing the draw weight.

"Is this all you have to get rid of them?" I asked, looking up at her a bit concerned. If she ever had to fight up close it would be very difficult to get rid of a monster with just an arrowhead in place of a sword or knife.

"Well, it does the job." She offered. I handed her back her bow and unzipped my bag, searching. I quickly located what I was looking for and pulled it out, handing it to her hilt first. She quirked an eyebrow but accepted the knife nonetheless, slipping it out of its sheath.

"I already have enough weapons," I explained. "I want you to have that. You never know when you might have to fight up close." _Seems like giving away knives is a new thing for me on quests._

"No, Allison, you might need this! You're the one on the quest, I have my arrows if I need to-"

I shook my head. "Nope. I'm not accepting 'no' as an answer. It's yours now. I'll feel better knowing that you have it anyway. Besides, I already have these." I activated my necklace, then bracelet. I rested my sword and knife on the grass between us. Lyn's eyes got wider at the sight of the midnight black weapons.

"Dang... you really come prepared, dontcha?" I shrugged.

"It's best to be prepared, especially when you're a kid of the Big Three. Monsters love us. Though I admit, with the new sword it might be a bit excessive. That is stygian iron, it's an Underworld thing. Got them from my dad a while back. Don't let it prick you, it hurts a bit more than celestial bronze... even sucks up the essence of monsters when you kill them."

Her smile broadened as she picked up my knife and inspected it.

"A fan of silver and black, are 'ya?" She asked, waggling her eyebrows goofily as she gestured to the weapons. I smiled.

"Eh, it works for me and these have gotten me out of some sticky situations, so I'm content with it. Also," I gave my wrist a flick and recalled my knife from her hand. Lyn jumped slightly at the sudden disappearance. I showed her the knife that was now in my hand again. "Returns when called, too."

She raised an eyebrow at me, then after a few moments burst out laughing. "Okay, that's epic. Point taken. So, are you a sword fighter with backup knives, or a combo of the two?"

"Well, I usually fight with just a standard sword when I'm around others. Can't really use these things much if I don't want people to know who Dad is, so only for emergencies. I only just got the Cerberus sword, as I said, so up until now I haven't had a sword like this that I can use normally. Running around swinging stygian iron weapons would be a dead giveaway, but when I can I do prefer to fight with a combo." Lyn turned her bow back into a bracelet, slipping it back on as I did similarly with my sword.

I looked over at Lyn, absorbing the moment. Here in the most unexpected of places at the most unexpected time we met, and I liked to think we were actually on the road to having a good friendship. It was like a breath of fresh air in some ways from all the stress happening with camp.

"Have you ever fought much with a knife before?" I asked, twirling my knife absently as I realized that she might not know a lot about knife fighting if she had always used her bow.

"I know some stuff, but my bow has always been my main thing." Lyn leaned back in the grass contentedly, arms supporting behind her.

"Want me to show you some of the stuff I've picked up?" Her face immediately brightened and she sat up.

"That would be great! Come on, let's go back to the woods so people don't freak if they see us swinging weapons around." She rocked herself up into a standing position, new knife sheathed in her hand. She pulled me up next to her and clipped the sheath to her waistband.

"Race 'ya!" She yelled behind her as she took off running full tilt for the woods we met each other in. I laughed and raced after her.

* * *

I first taught Lyn the basics, then moved on to more complex things once I saw she was absorbing the info like a sponge and producing effective results. I even showed her a bit of knife throwing, which she was pretty good at. I assumed that was in part to her background as an archer for at least the aiming aspect.

Lyn even decided to test how I was with her bow and we had a little contest to see who could hit the center of the tree the closest with the other's respective weapon. I had used a bow before in camp, and I really wasn't too bad at it. Nothing like the Apollo kids, but I got by. Overall Lyn was much, much better with it than I was, while I was better at knife throwing since I had been doing it for so long. Her bow was comfortable to use though.

Soon it was almost lunch time and we walked back to the aquarium. By now visitors were walking about and other employees were at their posts. As we passed Lyn greeted some of the people she must have known from her time there, even stopping once to encourage a turtle to swim over to a little boy at the glass.

I started to grow more conscious of time passing me by though and how long I had actually spent here. I almost didn't want to, but as amazing as this place was, I still had a job to do. I felt myself growing more withdrawn as we steadily approached the staff room in search of Mr. Irving.

"Hey, Lyn?" I started hesitantly.

"Hm?" She twirled around and started walking backwards to speak to me, navigating the crowd and somehow avoiding anyone who crossed her path.

"Uh, as great as it's been, I... I still have to get to Miami." Her face lost a bit of its brightness but she nodded in understanding.

"I getcha. Where will you be going next on the road there?" She sidestepped an information plaque without looking as she spoke.

"Well, Chiron suggested using Charleston as a midpoint."

She bobbed her head again, thoughtful as she swiped her card to unlock the door to the staff room. We entered and I took note of two women in aquarium staff shirts standing by the counters. Mr. Irving was on the other side of the room at a table, papers laid out in front of him.

"Plus, I don't want to bring any monsters to your doorstep." I admitted, speaking more quietly this time, mindful of the others in the room. "That run-in I had? Lycaon and his pack." She stopped walking, fixing me with possibly the most serious look I had seen on her yet.

"Allison, do not worry about bringing monsters. We are on an island anyway, much lower chance of them finding you here than on the mainland. You should have told me it was them you ran into. Your sword has silver in it, yeah?" I nodded, twisting my ring. "Good. Now, I want you to call us if you run into any trouble, understand? I'll give you Dad's cell phone number, I'm sure you know you have to be careful with cell phones. But if you need to, call. We will see what we can do to help from there."

The way she said that really reminded me of a protective older-sister mode I had seen often with others in my time. It was odd, it being directed at me, but not necessarily unwelcomed.

We reached Mr. Irving, his head looking up once he heard what his daughter was saying.

"Hello girls, everything okay?" He set down his pen.

Lyn turned to her dad. "Allison has to leave. I was just telling her about giving her your cell number just in case she needs to call."

Mr. Irving looked pensive for a moment. "Well, we can't keep you here. You have places you need to be, but know that you can always come here if you need to. We live just down the road, the blue house with the seahorse fountain out front. Here, let me write it down for you." He found a blank spot on some spare paper and scribbled down his cell phone's number on the corner of the page, tearing the piece off containing said number and folded it. He then handed it to me and I accepted it, tucking it into my pocket.

"Can I see those for a moment?" I asked, deciding to take the plunge. I had really grown to like Lyn, she was just a ball of happiness and positivity, and I could tell she had a good heart. I wanted to further or friendship after this quest was done, staying in contact would be nice. It wasn't often you met someone like her. Her dad wasn't too bad either.

Mr. Irving passed me the pen and paper and I scribbled down our apartment's phone number and who to ask for. I checked it over to make sure I hadn't made an error and once I was sure it was correct I slid the paper back to him, capping the pen.

"That's my family's apartment number up in New York. I won't be back for a while, but Sally will be home. You can just leave a message. This way we can talk once the quest is over." I offered a smile and Lyn broke out into a very large one of her own.

"Awesome, we can be pen pals! Maybe you could visit with your family too sometime once things settle down. I bet Percy would like the aquarium, and it would be cool to meet another person tied to the ocean."

"How about I call for Lyn in a couple of weeks?" Mr. Irving asked after he read over what I wrote.

"That should be okay. I might still be at camp, but it should work." I froze for a moment, then slapped my hand to my forehead.

"Oh wow, I'm stupid." They both looked at me, bemused. "Iris Messaging. Do you own any drachmas?"

"Iris Messaging? What's that?" Lyn asked, intrigued.

"Basically you create a rainbow, throw in a drachma and say: 'O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering. Show me' then you say the person's name and location. If Iris isn't busy she will put a call through and the person will appear in the rainbow. It's kind of like video calling, but without the technology behind it."

"Intriguing." Mr. Irving remarked.

"I have a few drachmas back at our house. We will have to test it out sometime." Her face brightened again. "Oh, Dad! Look what Allison gave me!" She eagerly revealed the sheathed knife, careful to face it away from the women still across the room. She had un-tucked her shirt to help cover the knife at her side when we decided to head back here earlier.

Mr. Irving's eyes grew a bit. "That celestial bronze?" We both nodded and he looked up at me. "You don't need it, do you? You do have another weapon?" I said I did while Lyn snorted.

"Trust me, Dad. This girl is prepared." I smiled. "Oh! That reminds me, one sec!" She dove into her bag and started rifling through it. Mr. Irving and I shared an amused look. A few seconds later Lyn popped back up holding something triumphantly.

"Here, I want you to have it! It's not much, but you never know when you might need it. I like to keep one in my shoe, just in case. Dad teases me about it though." She pressed the rock into my hand. Upon closer inspection I realized it was an arrowhead. "I have a few of them, I like to think of them as good luck charms." She explained. Mr. Irving chuckled at his daughter and she stuck her tongue out at him in retaliation.

"In my shoe?" I shrugged. "Why not? Will keep it hidden, that's for sure." I said, turning around the arrowhead in my hand.

"Yup!" She smiled and gestured for me to stash it. I slipped off my bag and knelt down, sliding my shoe off and I placed my newly acquired arrowhead in carefully next to my foot. I did up the laces and stood and rocked a bit to test if it would dig in at all. It didn't.

By now the women who had been on the other side of the room had vacated, leaving just the three of us. I was still hesitant to go, I wanted to spend more time here. I had to move on though.

"Thank you, Lyn, Mr. Irving, for helping me out. I won't forget it. If you need anything yourselves, just contact me." I paused. Mr. Irving gave me a kind smile, as did Lyn.

"Be safe out there, okay?" Lyn told me, pulling me into a warm hug. I froze for a moment before returning the gesture. _Yeah, I think we'll be good friends._

"I will. Same to you." We parted.

"How do you plan on getting to Charleston, by the way?" Lyn asked, a hint of that old mirth in her eyes.

I grinned and looked around to double check that the coast was clear. "Remember when you mentioned that thing about shadow travel?" I offered. Her eyes grew comically wide and a look of excitement appeared.

"No way, you can?"

"Indeed."

"You have to take me sometime." She said, bouncing a bit on the balls of her feet as she spoke.

I laughed. "I will."

I picked up my bag and walked to the shaded corner of the room, Mr. Irving and Lyn watching closely.

"'Till we meet again," I called out, giving a bit of a salute as I pulled myself into the shadows. I heard Lyn's parting call and I was off on my way to Charleston.

* * *

 **AN:** Little bit of important info: I will be away for a chunk of next week so the next chapter update might come out on Saturday instead of Friday. Also good catch to the CCR song reference from last chapter. Allison does indeed seem to be having some pretty bad luck, but it did get a bit better this chapter. Hope you enjoyed, let me know what you think of Lyn! I had a ton of fun writing her, ever since I created her I've been hyped to post this chapter. Until next time, enjoy your week! Stay safe!


	8. Chapter 8: Charleston

**5/21/16:** Hello all! Sorry for this being a day late. My trip was more tiring than I expected. Anyway, hope you had a nice week and enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Charleston**

* * *

The rush, cold chills, and eerie sounds that all accompanied shadow travel encompassed me as I directed myself south to Charleston. As I traveled I remembered the times when I would see some TV shows and documentaries about the Battle of Fort Sumter during the Civil War, along with various pictures of Charleston itself.

In almost no time at all I found myself landing in the shadow of a red pickup, scaring a nearby napping cat only to see it fluff up, leap from its bench, and streak off down the street.

"Oops... sorry cat." I muttered as I watched it disappear. I rested a hand on the truck beside me for a moment. I felt tired from the trip, but not badly so.

The truck I had appeared next to was parked alongside the sidewalk of a park. I was able to see the expanse of water across the street, boats cutting through the water leaving white ripples as the sun grew higher in the sky. I decided to cut through the park, I was right here anyway and it was a nice day. Hopefully I would find some place I could stop for lunch and stock up on some supplies to get on my way. I might just be able to find a bus too. What it would also give me was some time to refresh my energy.

I felt slightly more relaxed now that I was away from Lyn and her father just out of the sheer fact that I wouldn't be attracting monsters to their doorstep had I stayed. With Lycaon's interest in me I didn't want to take any chances and risk them getting hurt. It was sort of a melancholy feeling really.

I roamed the park, absorbing the fresh air and smell of flowers that was drifting from the late Victorian style houses next to the park, gardens sprawling with fauna. The houses had large columns that reminded me of camp. Overall I was positive Demeter kids would love it here.

There was a quaint cream colored gazebo I passed in the center of the park. I followed the gravel path towards the end of the park and further down the waterfront. On my way I passed by a few statues and old looking light posts. A woman was walking her dog too a little ways down. The large statue at the corner of the park, Oyster Point, depicted two people: a man and a woman. The man held a knife and shield while the woman looked to have something akin to a bushel of leaves or flowers. She wore a cloak and an odd type of helmet. I read the engraving on the pedestal below as I walked. It was basically a memorial for the confederate defenders of Charleston back in the Civil War.

I exited the last stretch of the park and wandered past houses, more gardens, and what looked like a boat club. Palm trees lined the street and a few of the houses I passed were painted in pastel colors. A few of the streets leading to the water were even cobbled. A few horse drawn carriages passed by too but I made sure to give them their space, I didn't want to spook any of the horses or anything. Overall Charleston gave me the feel of an old southern style city, which it technically was, but it still definitely has its modern touches. The whole place actually made me think of the first time I watched _Gone with the Wind._

I wasn't sure exactly where I was heading but it wasn't long before I felt a presence. It was not just that of the city-goers, but something from my dad's department. I had felt something ever since entering Charleston but this was different. It wasn't just the old ghosts that lingered from the Civil War. The city itself was teeming with old ghosts, mainly gravitating around landmarks, and I was sure to give those a wide berth yet this one seemed to stand out to me.

Following where the presence was coming from I turned down a wide street busy with life. None of the mortals had noticed the presence of the ghosts. This particular ghost I was focused in on felt young, like a child who hadn't been very old when she died. Then I caught sight of her.

She was standing behind a cluster of people next to an old pillared building wearing an old style dress, probably Civil War times given its appearance. Her hair reached her shoulders and half of it was styled back and tied with a thick ethereal ribbon. The sleeves of her dress puffed out a little like most dresses for girls her age of the era did and she held a ghostly image of a doll in her hands. Both of them had matching Mary Jane type shoes and tall white socks rising past the ankle.

The second our eyes met she smiled at me, then started running down the street on her little legs. Once she made it about ten feet she glanced back at me, almost as if to see if I was following. Pedestrians just walked right through her when they passed. She looked no older than four or five. I started jogging after her on instinct, following the glimpses of her though the crowd, using the aura she gave out that helped me find her in the first place to track her.

Whenever I got close enough I could just make out the sounds of giggles and she would start off again, appearing further down the road, skipping along. I extended my senses to try to get some background information on the mysterious ghost girl.

Amelia Grant, she died at the age of four from typhoid fever, and indeed during the Civil War. From what I was able to gather she never caused any trouble in town, she just liked to play in the parks or yards of the old city she used to live in. Harmless.

The whole time I was following her I was thinking to myself about where she could be leading me, or if she just was playing some type of game with someone that could actually see her. She was definitely interacting with me though, that much I knew. It didn't quite feel like a game of tag though for some reason. I saw her turn a corner into an alley between two buildings and as I rounded it I skidded to a stop. There she was, ten feet in front of me on the paving stones, not continuing her game of keep away.

 _"Pax."_ I heard her say in a soft, quiet voice. She then gave me a warm smile, waved, and vanished. When I felt her presence leave I knew she wasn't just hiding again, though I still glanced around to see if she chose to reappear despite that. She didn't. Mentally I translated what she had said to Latin for 'peace'. _Why would she say that then just leave?_ I looked back to where she was last standing and saw a small black pile of fur a few feet away that I hadn't noticed before.

Taking a few cautious steps closer the fur moved and a small head popped out. It looked like a little black labrador puppy, but its hair was longer and its eyes were wrong for that. They were a red-like brown and glowed ever so slightly. I hesitated. _Is it a hellhound?_ No, it was too small to be a hellhound, even a baby one. The dog's eyes weren't normal for a hellhound either. My mind traced back to something I learned in passing years ago. It was rare, but sometimes a dog could have some hellhound in them. This dog was probably the offspring of some small hellhound and a regular dog. I had only heard about them up until now, but here was one right before me. _Hah, first a daughter of a Nereid, then a half-hellhound._ It reminded me of demigods... kind of like a demihound. _I need a better name for that..._

I slowly came closer to the dog and took note of how scruffy and thin it looked. If I had to guess I would say it was a couple months old but runty. My heart kind of went out for it- nothing deserved to live on the streets alone like how it was.

It was first cautious of me but after sniffing a bit in my direction it started wagging its tail, the little thing beating repeatedly against the cobbled ground. It really did look like it hadn't eaten in days, or properly at least.

"I'll be right back." I told it. If the little girl Amelia had led me here then she had to have a reason. Both of them were tied to the Underworld after all, just like me. She had said _Pax,_ which could either refer to the dog being peaceful, the dog's name, or both. She appeared to have put her trust in me when she led me here. On my trip following Amelia I faintly remembered running past a deli. The dog looked so thin...

I walked back through the path I took and was able to find the deli. When I stepped inside a little bell chimed, triggered by the door opening. There were a few people inside seated at little tables eating lunch, a few others on the line to order food. I took off my backpack and searched for the wad of money Chiron had me take. I glanced up at the menu that was displayed on some overhead boards- hand written -and pulled out enough money for a sandwich, two hot dogs, and a cold bottle of water. It would be nice to have something cold to drink on a warm day like today.

* * *

After they assembled my order and I paid I walked back to the alley Amelia led me to. The dog was still there but when it saw me its head perked up again. I came closer and sat down against the wall a few feet from it, food in hand. I set down half a hot dog for the little thing and pushed it toward the canine. Its eyes bugged out at the sight of the food, tongue lolling out of its mouth with a very excited look in its eyes, and after a moment looking at me it got up and went to its new food. It was female, and she looked even thinner standing than she did laying down. What worried me was that she wasn't putting all of her weight on one of her paws. Her front right was held up slightly as she stood there eating, like it was hurting. I pulled my backpack and searched inside for some of the bandages I brought with me to wrap it with.

She finished the first half of the dog and looked to me to see if I had more to give her. I took the second half and held it out to her. She hesitated, then limped up and gobbled it down.

"Hey there, girl." I said soothingly. "I'm going to look at your paw, okay? I'm here to help." She looked at me and started sniffing my leg. I guess I passed her test because once she finished off the remains of her food she sat down near me. I had noticed how she at first wasn't too keen on approaching me but now she seemed okay with it. I figured I probably smelled okay to her because of Dad.

I scooted over closer to her and gently took her paw, examining it. She didn't pull away. It looked like she just twisted it wrong, luckily. No break. After taking a bite of my own food and giving a 'Cheers' to this Chiron-sponsored meal I started carefully wrapping her ankle so it has support. It was then that she decided to start licking my hands halfway through as I worked, even sniffed at my Cerberus ring curiously.

"Pax, I'm not going to be able to wrap it if you keep pushing your nose into my hands." Her tail beat against the path but I was able to finish my work despite her nose butting in. As I ate I began petting her, at first hesitantly, then we both grew more relaxed in each other's presence. _Pax does sound like a good name for her, Amelia probably named her that._ It was beyond me as to how a little girl would know Latin but I decided not to question it. The South had been even more influenced by Roman type things than the North.

Once I finished my sandwich, balling up the paper, I took a quick drink and watched Pax laying against my leg. I did my best to try to unknot some of the hair behind her ears but she could go with a good brushing. Her eyes were actually kind of pretty now that I was looking at them closer, too.

She was looking up at me hopefully. "Oh, fine." I took it from my other side and broke the last hot dog in half to gave it to her. She basically swallowed the whole thing.

"You know, I think you would be small enough to be able to stay in our apartment if you needed to. I wonder if you are able to shadow travel like a hellhound..." I mused half to myself. I hung out there for a while with her, getting knots out of her hair and petting her. Given the state I found her in she probably hadn't gotten a lot of TLC before I arrived. She seemed to enjoy the company though, as did I. I had always wanted a pet but I would never have been able to stay around to spend time with it like it deserved if it was with my mom in Colorado. It staying at camp was out of the question too, then tack on the task of finding an animal that wasn't weary around me.

My father told me last year how our old house was still intact, he had been keeping it as a kind of memory, and that it was open to me. I would have to go there sometime when the safety of seemingly everything didn't depend on a bunch of us doing something-or-other.

I had chosen not to tell Sally about my past yet, it would overcomplicate things and I was afraid about how she might react. Knowing somebody was aware of everything like I was since I first started living with them, especially from where I came from previously, could be a bit of a shock. Yeah, I had done things on my own when I could, but it would still probably be a bit unsettling. I didn't want our relationship to possibly change for the worst. Sally was basically a second mother to me, I didn't want to lose that. I had told all of this to Percy before we got home from camp and he understood, agreeing not to mention anything until I was ready, but he told me I was being silly for worrying.

What we did tell Sally when arrived home though was who my godly parent was. We kind of had to after last year's incident with Dad taking her as leverage. She wanted to know about the quest, and even though we glossed over many things, she still pieced it together that I helped coax my father into giving her back. She had taken that information in stride but I was still worried. _It's Sally,_ I told myself. _She won't kick you out or anything. Percy is right, you are just being paranoid._ But I still had that ingrained irrational bit in my head keeping me from telling her everything. Years of conditioning made it so.

It wouldn't feel right to have her potentially spend money on a trip to Colorado just to visit my old house either, even if I were to use the LotusCash card. I wasn't even really sure what would be waiting for me there. My mom died a number of years ago in her sleep. I think my dad helped it be a painless, peaceful death, to which I was grateful for. He may have moved on since the thirties but he still cared. He visited her after my death, he told me, and explained what happened.

I was knocked out of my thoughts when I felt a wet tongue on my cheek.

"Gah! Not cool, Pax!" But she had brought me back to the present. I made up my mind then and there that if Pax wanted to, I would take her with me and give her a home. I didn't know how, but I would find a way. Clearly Amelia entrusted me with her to help.

I counted up what money I had left, which wasn't a ton but it would do its job. I shouldered my bag, packed away my water, and scooped up Pax. She kept trying to lick my face, most likely still smelling the sandwich, but she didn't seem to mind being carried. She was still small enough so that it wasn't a burden.

After asking around at a local Bed and Breakfast I got myself directions to the nearest Greyhound station. It was north of here, about a two hour walk, but if I wanted the money to last to have for emergencies I would have to walk it. I bought a few snacks, a cheap plastic bowl, another water, and began the trek. I could have shadow traveled but I wanted to have some energy left in my reserves if I needed to make a quick getaway for some reason. Plus I now had a passenger to bring along.

* * *

About forty minutes in Pax began squirming. I set her down and she took a potty break. I took advantage of that time to give her some water in the bowl I bought. As I was about to pick her up again an idea struck me.

I kneeled down and set my backpack on the sidewalk, rearranging the items inside. Once I was content with it I gently placed Pax into the bag, head popping out of the top. She was pretty cool with the idea too, wiggling around a little to get comfortable then settling down. I stood back up and put my bag on backwards, bag in front, and began walking again.

We were about ten minutes out when I started to feel like we were being followed. Pax was asleep at this point so I did my best to keep on casually walking, I did spare a glance behind me without being obvious though. I reached out with the shadows, worried that it could be Lycaon and his pack again, but I could only pick out one thing following us.

As I turned a corner I saw a bulky shape a little ways off behind us. _He has had enough time to catch up by now if he knew where I was going._ My heart started to beat faster. This just made me ever more aware of the monsters on my trail. I needed to get a move on but first I needed to deal with my stalker problem.

"Stay put," I whispered to Pax. "I'll be right back, we've got something stuck to our shoe. Don't get scared if you hear fighting, girl." I eased my backpack down, Pax inside, next to a potted plant. She was still sleeping and the last thing I wanted for her was to get hurt under my watch if a fight broke out. I turned back around and went to peek around the corner. Nothing. My fingers twitched around my ring.

Suddenly I heard the sound of something cutting through the air right behind me and ducked, activating my ring. I wasn't down a moment too soon, a spear jabbed right above my head. I would have been skewered had I not ducked. Holding the spear was a Scythian dracaenae with a dented shield.

"Demigod!" She hissed, making another jab at me but I was able to sidestep it, her spear glancing off my blade. We went back and forth for a number of exchanges, my sword clashing against her shield before I got a hit off her. She hissed in pain as I cut into one of her serpent legs.

"How long have you been following me?" I asked, kind of curious.

"Long enough to know who you are. I shall have my reward." She hissed out, adding extra effect to her words with a couple strong strikes sent my way.

"Oh, so you're another one of those monsters trying to cash in for bringing me to Luke? Don't you think that will be a bit hard with just you and when you probably don't even know where he is?" I swung at her again but she blocked with her shield, the sound of metal hitting metal ringing throughout the air.

"I wouldn't be so sure, demigod." Suddenly my feet were swept out from under me. I landed on my back and rolled quickly to avoid a spear to the shoulder. Apparently this dracaena had a friend, another dracaena. I had spoken too soon. _Figures._

"Two against one. Really?" I twisted away from another attack and rolled backward, coming up standing and swiped my sword at the new dracaena's legs. She yelled in pain as the sword made its mark. I managed to disarm the first one, her shield clattering out of her grip and I took the dive to cut her head off, effectively turning her to dust.

When the other dracaena tried to lunge at my exposed back a tiny bark sounded and she stumbled, giving a startled yelp. At her 'feet' was a little black mass with glowing eyes. They were glowing brighter as she bit the dracaena. Pax had come up behind her while we were fighting and bitten her where her ankle would be had she had actual legs. Before I could react she swept the butt of her spear at Pax and sent her tumbling away. I felt a flame arise inside me.

"You do _not_ hurt her!" I yelled, sending a deft kick to her ribs as she tried to stand again, soil from the potted plant flying into her eyes as I stabbed her with my sword. The only thing that remained of her now was the pile of golden dust intermixed with the topsoil.

I quickly ran up to where Pax was and checked her over, stashing away my sword. She gave a little bark as she tried to snuggle against me, eyes more docile now that the fight was over. _Very peaceful for a dog named Pax._ She seemed fine but I wasn't too happy with myself for letting her get involved in the fight, even if it was to help me.

"Pax, I don't want you getting yourself into trouble. I can handle myself, I don't want you to get hurt. Those dracaenae were much bigger than you, it could have ended badly. Thanks, though." I mussed up the hair around her ears and she butted her head against my arm as she went up onto her back get to get higher, front paws resting on my leg.

"Come on, we're almost there." I sighed and scooped her up, going back to my backpack and took the time to kick the discarded weapons into a corner. Once Pax was settled in place I set off again, kicking at the mixture of gold dust and soil for good measure.

* * *

At the Greyhound station I zipped up my bag to hide Pax better and bought a ticket to Jacksonville, Florida. The bus itself was leaving in fifteen minutes. I was either a very lucky demigod right now, or something else was going to balance out this uncharacteristic luck I seemed to get by being able to catch a bus that convenient to Florida. I wasn't looking forward to that possibility.

By then it was nearing dinner time and I figured they wouldn't like me eating on the bus so I sat us down on the sidewalk near the station. We were close enough to see the buses but far enough away to not raise questions about Pax. We dipped into the snacks I bought in the heart of Charleston as we sat there. By the looks of it I would have to save what I had left for an emergency. I made sure Pax had something to eat and drink before we hit the road again.

Soon it was time to catch the bus. I closed Pax back up inside my bag, making sure to leave some of the top unzipped to give her enough fresh air, and boarded the large grey bus that had rolled up not two minutes ago. As time went by I had been growing steadily more antsy. I knew Lycaon was out there, waiting to get his goal of the reward for bringing me to Luke, and I wouldn't put it past him to continue tracking me from our first encounter. At this point it was really just a matter of time, he could have easily found where I was going by the bus I was supposed to take from Baltimore.

The dracaenae before had made me realize I had been letting my guard down. This whole day I had gotten more relaxed between Lyn and Pax that I wasn't as alert for threats. That was very dangerous for a demigod on a quest.

Honestly I was kind of surprised Lycaon and his pack hadn't already caught up with me. Not that I was hoping for that to happen, because that was the last thing I needed- another visit from those things. One demigod, even one of the Big Three kids, against a pack like his was not a fair fight by any means. Maybe if I had Nick's lightning powers I could stand a better chance, to zap them all at once, but I didn't. I also had Pax to keep safe now too, all I could do was to keep on moving and try to outpace him, throw him off my trail.

* * *

 **AN:** I hope you like the new addition, another new character in just two chapters! Anyway, like I said last week, I was away for a nice chunk of this week and unable to do my revisions on this chapter like I usually do in the week between spaces. I had a nice trip for those of you who might be wondering, gathered some more ideas for writing too while I was out. For some reason too some of your reviews aren't showing up... it's weird. I still got the notification but they don't show up on the /reviews thinggy. So, enjoy your week and see you next time!


	9. Chapter 9: Storm on the Horizon

**5/27/16:** Hey everyone, I hope you had a nice week and for those of you who have ended school already, enjoy your summer! More AN at the bottom. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Storm on the Horizon**

* * *

The ride into Jacksonville would normally be about three hours but with rush hour traffic the ride ended up taking a bit longer than expected. The further we traveled south the closer I held my backpack and Pax. I found myself nervously petting her head and consistently glancing as far back as I could through the side window next to me. The sky grew steadily darker the closer we got to the city, and not just from the sun disappearing beyond the horizon, but from storm clouds.

While sitting on a bus for multiple hours you tend to find yourself seeking something to do, and for me that ended up being thinking about this whole situation. The question that kept coming up in my mind was why Luke would put a bounty out on my head and not Percy's. He had, after all, tried to kill him at the end of last summer but failed, Kronos couldn't be happy about that. A sickening thought that made my stomach drop had then come to me: what if Kronos actually told him who my father was? There would go my only good feasible advantage against him. That card had still been up my sleeve at the end of last summer; by the way Luke had spoken to me it was clear he thought I was just some unclaimed kid, not a daughter of Hades. Kronos had yet to inform him of that bit of information, apparently.

If Luke now did know though he could very well be going after children of the Big Three, but then in that same respect he should be going after Percy too. He did have him briefly on his ship before they got away as Chiron told me, so maybe he was trying a different tactic with him? Who knew. Hopefully I would not have to find out why I was wanted in the way I was and I would be able to get to Chiron and the other centaurs before anything could happen. I was not keen on the possibilities that laid there.

Rain was splattering on the window steadily as the bus pulled into the station. The storm was already making itself known, but it wasn't too bad as of yet although there were still darker clouds on the horizon. I patted Pax one last time before pulling up the sides of my bag to hide her before I stood. The minute I stepped off the bus the rain began pelting me, causing me to scowl. I had no umbrella or jacket to block it so my only option was just to let myself slowly get soaked until I could find a decent place to stay the night.

"C'mon girl, we need to find a place to stay." I muttered to Pax as I broke off from the group of travelers entering the station. I traveled down the sidewalk while being sure to keep an eye out for any place we might be able to rest for a bit. Sadly we were in a more occupied section of Jacksonville and there were no buildings under construction anywhere that I could see- those would have been our best bet. I sighed. If I really needed to I could break us in somewhere, maybe a shop that was closed for the night. It wasn't like you could spend time in the Hermes cabin without picking up a few tricks.

The streets were still playing host to some people walking around and cars were still out and about. Everyone seemed to be coming home from work, or the ones who worked nights were just heading out. I finally ducked into a shop entrance's overhanging cover and twisted around my backpack so Pax was in front of me. When I peered inside she seemed to be cozily snuggled up against my spare shirt, asleep. I sat on the shop window's rim that was also under the overhang and watched the city go by, content to stay out of the rain for the time being until I could figure something out. _Maybe I could sneak into a public library or something? Get in before closing and hide out until everyone leaves._ I would be pushing it with the time limitations though.

Pax's paw twitched from whatever dream she was having and I smiled down at her. I checked the paw I had wrapped earlier and redid the wrapping. She stayed conked out the entire time. I tried to imagine what Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson might be doing in that moment. Had they made it safely into the Sea of Monsters? Were they injured? I really didn't have any way of knowing aside from Iris-Messages. I had to keep hoping that they would stay safe out there. Even though I felt a bit better knowing Percy would be in his element out there, I was still worried. It wasn't called the Sea of Monsters for nothing.

I had my backpack and Pax placed next to me as I scanned the streets in search of somewhere we could stay when the hairs on my arm started to stand on end, the air taking up a kind of ambient electric charge. There was a blur out of the corner of my eye turning up the street where I was stationed and I stood bolt upright, hand on my ring. Something else caught my eye down the street. It looked like a teenage boy but I could tell from the malicious grin on his face as he looked at me that he was not.

We made eye contact as I squared my shoulders and stepped further in front of Pax. A little boy and his mother passed by, cutting off our line of sight briefly, the boy running ahead to jump in the puddles of rainwater. All the thing did was wink and give me a kind of mocking salute before morphing into the shape of a whirlwind and flew past me. I jumped out of the way as it soared around the corner and flew up the road that led into the intersection I was at. It was on a slope and the rain was still coming down, though it seemed to have grown more windy when this thing had arrived. Something was definitely about to hit the fan.

I didn't have long to react before I heard a screeching from where the thing had flown off to. My eyes zeroed in on a blue pickup truck. It was skidding down the slope, trying to recover from swerving. My eyes then flew to the little boy and his mom. She was in the process of shouting to her son to get out of the street, clearly seeing the truck that wasn't ceasing to stop as it rapidly approached, and I knew he wouldn't be able to move in time. My mind was in overdrive, processing all this information in the matter of a few seconds.

I dove forward, shoving his small frame away and out of the path of the truck just as it skidded over the puddle he had been playing in. I felt white-hot pain blossom from my side as the truck collided with me, breath knocked out of me. I felt myself land with a hard thud, the asphalt scraping into me. My head then struck the ground and I was out.

* * *

I was having the weirdest dream about guinea pigs when I started to become aware of the sounds of a voice nearby. I had to stop myself from groaning as I became more aware of the waking world. My head and side hurt like all heck, I knew I was scraped up, and I was fairly certain I had been tackled by a linebacker. The smell of antiseptic reached my nose and I cracked my eye open.

There was a white room surrounding me, a curtain on a frame to my side and a television mounted on the wall across from me. _That's where that annoying voice is coming from..._ I opened my eyes wider to see that I was in a hospital bed. _Crud, how long was I out for?_ Immediately panic started, then I saw my bag sitting against the wall below the TV. That helped ease my panic a little. That was until I remembered Pax and caught sight of what was on the television.

The woman on the screen looked to be a reporter in some newsroom. I didn't bother with reading which station, it was the headline that caught my attention.

 **3 DEAD, 7 WOUNDED IN WILD ANIMAL ATTACK ON THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE**

The woman was carrying on, talking about some details or whatever surrounding the story. What I was focused in on was the video images. It showed pictures of a crime scene, police cars and ambulances and police-line tape blocking off somewhere very familiar to me. A lump formed in my throat as I took in the sight of the Greyhound station my bus had stopped at yesterday, along with that very same bus sitting in the center of the scene. _Was that really only just yesterday?_ It felt like so much longer since I was in Baltimore.

I felt myself begin to shake and my eyes started to water as I put the pieces together. _Lycaon found the bus I was supposed to take. He... he hurt all those mortals because he couldn't get to me._ I felt like was going to be sick. If I had never been on that bus, or had I gotten back sooner and never run into him in the first place, all those people would still be alive and unharmed. _How did it all go so_ wrong _?_

There was the sound of high heels clicking on tile floor and suddenly the door to my room opened. In walked a woman in scrubs. At the sight of seeing me up a big smile appeared on her face, overly white teeth now on display.

"Oh good, you're awake!" She said cheerfully and strode over to my bedside, pulling out a clipboard. "How do you feel, dearie?"

I was not in the mood to deal with someone like her right then, but I studied her nonetheless. She didn't necessarily _look_ like a monster, but looks could be deceiving.

She must have seen how upset I appeared and followed my gaze back to the television.

"Oh, let me turn that off for you. You don't have to hear about that stuff right now. Horrible stuff... horrible indeed." She picked up a remote from the table she had picked her clipboard up from and clicked a button, pointing it at the TV. The screen went black and the news footage cut out, leaving only silence in its place and the sound of rain outside became more apparent.

"Now, how are you feeling?" She prompted again, setting down the device and turning back to me.

I somewhat remembered the boy, the monster, the truck, and why I was here in Florida. I pulled my mind from thinking about what I had seen on the screen as best I could and focused on the woman.

"Fine, I guess." I said, swallowing hard and plastered on a fake smile.

"That's good. Now, I just have to do a few tests. Can I have your name, Miss...?" She asked, propping up her obnoxiously pink pen, which matched her scrubs, to write down my answer. My mind felt kind of foggy and I had trouble focusing for a moment. I realized I probably shouldn't say my real name, as I would most likely have to skip out on the hospital bill to continue the quest once I had all my things at the first chance I got.

"Sandra Jackson." I supplied. She scribbled down my name and continued to ask me for other basic information. All that could be faked, was. I had to catch myself before I answered 1930 as my birth year, I hadn't almost made that mistake in years, not since I first arrived. Something was definitely wrong with my head. I was having trouble focusing to answer at times but I still got through her questions. What didn't help me focusing was the news I just heard. _I need to get to my ambrosia supply._

"Hmm... it does seem like you took a decent hit to the head." I bit back a sharp remark as she scribbled down what I thought read something about a concussion, irritability almost getting the best of me. _Just what I needed._

"How long have I been here?" I finally asked, half dreading the possible answer.

"Oh, you came in a couple of hours ago, Sandra. That was admirable, what you did to save that boy. You got him out of the way just in time. Just a few scratches, but aside from that he was unharmed." I nodded, slightly relieved that not much time had passed and that I had seemed to at least save somebody in light of what I left behind to happen in Baltimore.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that the nurse finally left the room, toting that pink pen with her. She was probably heading off to get into contact with the fake parents I provided. Now was the time to make my great escape. Slowly I edged my way out of bed, sliding my scraped up legs out from under the cover and I found I had to grip the mattress to stabilize my balance. I winced and my hand drifted to my side where there was a large bruise visible. By the feel of it there seemed to be a nice sized lump on the back of my head too.

I gave myself a minute before going to stand, knowing that the nurse would soon discover that the number I gave her was pulled from that one really annoying commercial for fabric softener that had the creepy teddy bear in it. All I can say in defense of that was that I was kind of fuzzy headed and that commercial was annoyingly persistent.

Once I reached my bag I immediately began searching for my ambrosia, hands still shaking slightly. _I have to find out what happened to Pax, too._ She was no longer hiding in my backpack like she had been when I last saw her. If she was taken to a dog pound or something, I wasn't exactly sure what I would do. I had really grown attached to her in the short time that we had been together. She didn't deserve to be locked up in some cage. I took a bite of the godly food, comforted by the taste of caramel, and I felt it starting to get to work on healing me.

By the time I changed into my spare set of clothes I had already started feeling better, though the weight inside me that had formed upon waking up still hadn't gone away. I doubted it would for a long time. At least my scrapes were just fading red marks, the bruise was almost gone, and my head was feeling less muddled.

"Note to self, never take conveniently timed buses to exactly where you need to go again cause it will just come back to bite you." I grumbled as I tied back my hair again, slipping the bobby pin back into place now that it wouldn't bother the lump on my head. They must have taken down my hair to check me over or something while I was out, which was annoying, although with a possible head injury I could understand.

A pair of high heeled feet approaching sounded from the hallway and I knew it was time to go. I shoved on my backpack and slipped behind a privacy curtain to wait for the opportune moment. The nurse entered, eyes downcast and focused on her clipboard, confused look on her face. Once she passed I slid through the still open door and started down the hall.

There was a gasp from back inside my room and I quickly ducked a corner, crouching behind a food cart. Nurse Pink must have noticed my absence. I ran and pushed open the door to the nearest stairwell, hastily descending the stairs two at a time. Luckily there weren't many people about, just a few further down the hall when I had passed. Above me though, I could hear bustling and quickened my pace- I was just glad that people seemed to prefer using elevators over the stairs. Technically I could shadow travel out if I really needed to, but I was still tired and sore from the truck. Plus, I had gotten myself out of places with more security than this in the past.

Outside the stairwell I found what I guessed was some type of waiting room and spotted a window. I didn't want to necessarily chance going through the main doors, wherever they were in this maze. Someone just might try to stop me, I was a minor after all. I had been lucky enough to avoid the doctors and nurses that were bound to have grown suspicious.

I unlatched the window and pushed up the glass, first dropping my bag then myself through the passage. I quietly closed the window and once I was out of sight I tore off the hospital bracelet around my wrist and took off running. I needed to find Pax and sort things out, it had turned into a right mess ever since hitting Florida.

It was night now, rain still coming down. The wind seemed to have picked up since I was outside last too, blowing flags and vegetation around as it went. This made me somewhat wary, my head was still slightly off but I knew there was something up with the wind that I should have pieced together by now, like a missing puzzle piece.

Just as I was running past an alley behind the medical center I heard a bark and a small body jumped against my legs. I stumbled to a halt, nearly slipping on the slick pavement and looked down, a smile growing on my face.

"Pax!" I quickly crouched down to her level and she jumped up at me. She looked like a drowned rat given how wet her coat was but I didn't really care- I probably looked similar. I just held her there as the rain pattered down around us.

"Were you hiding outside waiting for me? You are so good, I was worried they may have taken you." She squirmed out of my arms and she started to prance around my feet. The wrap that had been on her foot was gone by this point but she seemed to be doing fine without it.

"Come on, let's get a move on... they might be looking for me." The smile that had been on my face upon her arrival had dissipated in remembrance of the news I had woken up to. Lycaon was surely on his way by this point, we needed to get to Miami. I scooped Pax up and put more distance between us and that accursed antiseptic-filled building. Just being near it I could feel the various weakened lives of people inside, it was not a pleasant feeling. That is why I tended to try to avoid places like that.

* * *

The wind and rain had really picked up by this point and I was growing increasingly more weary. The bit of adrenaline that had come to me upon breaking out of the hospital was fading and I still felt that weight in my stomach, I tried not to think about Baltimore. I hadn't really gotten a restful 'sleep' either, being knocked out involuntarily didn't really count in my book. On top of that I had shadow traveled from Roanoke Island to Charleston earlier in the day. Then there was just that minor event of getting hit by an out of control pickup truck while trying to get that kid out of the way. Yeah I was glad it was me and not him, but it still didn't change the fact that I had gotten hit still.

Deciding to just break into a random shop to stay for the night I really started taking note of the dark buildings I was passing, noting all the details to see which one I could get into easiest that suited my purposes. I really needed to get us out of the rain and dry off, preferably in some place that had food. I hadn't eaten recently and I really wanted to get some more food into Pax too. Even though she was traveling with me now I still felt a bit bad that I couldn't provide sufficient food for her regularly. Once the quest was finished I would be able to get her back up to the weight she should be at.

Selecting a bookstore as my mark I took out the bobby pin and went to work on the lock. Just when I was sure I was about to get the last pin in place within the lock there was a giant gust of wind accompanied by what sounded like stampeding horses. Immediately I ducked and activated my ring, silver and bronze sword springing to life in my hand. It felt like a whirlwind or dust storm from back in the day had just passed us by. I caught sight of three horses with dark storm cloud bodies that crackled with electricity fly past.

It all clicked into place- it had been a storm spirit that caused the car to go out of control and get me hit. I remembered the image of that kid I saw right before it flew past up the street. That wink and mocking salute it gave me, like getting me hit was its plan. _They are going down._ I was not in the mood to deal with these things but I knew they wouldn't give me a break, earlier was enough proof of that. Had Nick been with me they wouldn't have been a problem as he could easily keep pace with them and absorb more of the electricity they put off compared to someone like me.

One of the stormy horses seemed to be flickering between the form of a horse and that of a kid similar to the one I had seen, grin on his face. It seemed to rear back and circle around in my direction.

"Oh you little…" They were _so_ gonna get it now.

Pax was luckily behind my bag taking cover as it approached, its buddies turning around again behind it to follow.

All thoughts of trying to get them to keep on roaming the city and avoid me flew out of my head as I had to roll out of the way of the first as it passed, slashing my sword in its direction. I heard it whinny in retaliation and I had to actually dive out of the way of the second, skidding on the wet pavement to recover my balance.

"Get lost!" I yelled, third horse bearing down on me as the first charged again, fully horse now, second rearing to join. They unfortunately did not agree with my sentiment.

The air was even more charged now than it had been before the truck. I was able to jump out of the way again and landed a hit on the second. The only problem that came with landing a hit was when it made contact electricity ran up the metal and shocked my arm, causing me to nearly drop my weapon. These things were really charged, I could tell because it usually took more than the basic amount of electricity to get to me thanks to many sparring sessions with a child of Zeus. That was years ago though, I hadn't done anything like that in a long time. I cursed as steam curled off the blade, rain still incessantly falling onto the makeshift battlefield this stretch of street had turned into.

Dodging a strike of lightning I realized I needed to switch my strategy if I wanted to be rid of these things. I had to keep my distance. Activating my knife I rolled away from another attack. I threw my stygian iron weapon as hard as I could at the closest stallion, jumping aside to avoid being trampled and electrocuted. It landed true and the thing disintegrated. I recalled my knife, receiving only a small shock from the lingering electricity in the weapon and got ready for the remaining two storm spirits.

The first rounded on me again, electric eyes zeroing in on me with a glint of intelligence. That was never a good thing to see in any monster you were fighting.

"Come at me!" I shouted, spreading my arms. I was frankly done with monsters for the day, this was not what I needed. I had not gotten sufficient sleep so I honestly didn't care by that point how I dealt with these things, as long as they were gone.

The storm spirit's form flickered back to a kid again before it charged, this time with more anger behind it upon seeing his buddy get disintegrated. The storm spirit's other remaining friend followed, sending a shock of electricity my way I had to jump to avoid.

My plan of standing my ground until I could dive out of the way at the last second like with the Minotaur was thrown out the window the moment the storm spirit poured on the speed right before it reached me. I got clipped as I swiped my sword through the creature. Electricity arched through me and I fell hard as the storm spirit joined its disintegrated friend. The rain was not helping my situation whatsoever, water was a good conductor for electricity. I was drenched, the road was slippery, and steam was curling off me.

I pulled myself up, unsteadily grasping for my sword that had fallen to the ground, knowing I probably looked a bit barbecued. The last storm spirit rounded on me faster than I expected, a gust of wind hitting as it rammed into me and sent a massive bolt through me that sent me flying back. I landed hard on the pavement and found that I couldn't move for a moment, electricity seizing my muscles. I then caught sight of the electric horse getting set to charge me again, lightning flickering off its form.

My sword had fallen out of reach. I felt for my necklace and desperately activated it. My arm was twitching but I was able to throw it in time to land it in the stallion's chest, causing it to burst apart on contact. I heard my knife clatter to the ground and I just let my head fall back down onto the wet pavement, letting myself go completely slack. I just lay there panting, staring up at the clouds above as rain came down and landed on my face, steam curling off me and heart beating a million miles-per-minute.

"Go to Jacksonville they said! You have a perfect ride, take advantage of it!" I huffed, out of breath. "I am never coming back here again..."

A minute or so later I felt something cold and wet nuzzling my face. Pax was sniffing at me- probably checking to see if I was fried or not -out from behind my backpack. My mouth tasted like burning aluminum foil. I reached up and patted her head to reassure her that I was okay.

I gave myself a few more moments before forcing myself up to trudge back to the door of the bookstore. The wind had died down at the departure of the spirits and after a few seconds of fiddling with the lock more, having retrieved the pin, the door clicked open. I looked up at the storm clouds above, muttering a silent thanks for letting the door comply. I stuck the pin back into my ponytail for later and grabbed my bag.

After holding the door open for Pax to come inside with me and locking it behind us I let out a breath, hand rubbing down my face. Knowing my luck something would be poking at those doors by morning. I squeezed the water out of my drenched hair as best I could and stalked inside, drying my feet on the welcome mat. Sure I might have broken in but I still have the common courtesy to not track mud and dirt onto their carpets. It was a similar case with the books, I gave them a wide berth so as not to ruin them, water still clinging to me. I wasn't even remotely in the mood to glance at the covers. I walked past some display racks and saw something that made my evening a little bit brighter.

"A café..." I breathed.

I helped myself to some food from behind the counter, grabbing a bit for Pax when she came back from exploring the place. It at least helped curve the taste of burning aluminum foil.

There was a radiator against one of the walls and I eagerly walked over, settling down next to it. The warmth it provided was very welcomed after how much time I had spent in the cold rain, even if it was summer. The clock display read that it was two in the morning so I figured I could squeeze in a couple more hours here before I had to leave, lest the employees coming in for the morning spot me.

My shirt was charred and soaked, and it just had to be the last shirt I had. The hospital had put me into one of those annoying patient gowns or whatever it was when I was admitted so I was out a set of clothes. That just meant I was now stuck with charred and soggy apparel. I knew a couple Aphrodite kids who might just faint at that idea, though to be fair, they were a bit on the more drastic side in terms of her kids.

I finished off my food and called Pax over to make sure she had her own mini-meal. I set some things from my bag up to dry next to the radiator, primarily my backup bandages and the bag itself. I stretched out on the floor in front of the heat and closed my eyes, the day really catching up to me. I still felt that weight from knowing what I left behind to happen in Baltimore but I tried to push that to the back of my mind for now, it wouldn't get me anywhere fast if I lingered on that for too long. The soreness didn't really matter so long as I was still able to function, which I was. I felt Pax lay down beside me before I fell asleep, very aware of my limited time here.

* * *

That night I had a dream. It started with the image of an unrecognizable shroud burning on a funeral pyre and lightning. An image of Chiron came up next, he was reading something on a piece of paper. There was something else in his other hand but I couldn't discern what it was, and I soon knew from the sad look that grew on his face as he read that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

What appeared next made me freeze as well as a person could in a dream. It had started as a cloudy image but it slowly became more defined. A boy was lying on the street, sword discarded at his side. There was a growing patch of red forming on his torn shirt and as it kept getting bigger I felt my heart pounding. There was a flash of a pair of lone black eyes, then my dream faded.

* * *

 **AN:** So as you can see things are starting to pick up, not just your happy-go-lucky type traveling story in a sense now. Let me know what you think, if you have any predictions, etc. I am eager to see what you guys think might happen next. Let's also play spot the reference! Some chapter title though, eh? Anyways, enjoy your week and a big thanks to Paper Kaine for helping me keep things organized and giving me your take on it! You rock buddy :)


	10. Chapter 10: Undead

**6/4/16:** Hey everyone, I am happy to announce that the next chapter has been published, as you can see. Hope you like it, it is actually a monster one- biggest chapter yet at over 8.5k. AN at bottom, hope you had a nice week!

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Undead**

* * *

I ended up waking at what was a few hours after I had fallen asleep to Pax whining. I lay there for a moment, aware of her hovering just above me, but not wanting to get up yet. My clothes were luckily dried during my time asleep thanks to the heater. My heart was beating at what felt like a very rapid rate for some reason, but I could only remember a hazy dream for a possible cause to it.

Finally I opened my eyes and once I did Pax started jumping with joy, trotting halfway to the exit then turning back to look at me with an eager look on her face. The sun was just rising, the morning light filtering in through the front windows. I groaned and rubbed the sleep from my eyes as best I could, sitting up in my spot. Had Pax not been here I probably would have tried to keep on sleeping.

Feeling something cool and solid against my face I retracted my hand and came to realize it was my ring I was feeling. I hadn't noticed it last night, but I never did end up going to retrieve my sword after the storm spirits were gone, but my ring was back on my finger. Looking at the ring I was pleased that the return aspect to it seemed to be working, but as I took in the three Cerberus heads on the silver ring something nudged at my memories in the back of my mind. My heart was still beating fairly fast but all I remembered from my dream was a shroud, Chiron reading, some lightning, and a pair of haunting black eyes. Even just thinking about my dream made me feel a bit rattled.

Pax had come back to where I was from her spot by the door to try and encourage me to get a move on so I could let her out. At the sight of her pouncing onto my lap I pulled myself from my thoughts and after removing Pax from my lap, began to pack my supplies back up into my bag. Taking the time to grab myself a muffin and Pax something for breakfast from the in-house café on my way out I strode to the entrance. Pax wove herself around my feet as soon as the door swung open and bounded past to go and relieve herself. I realized as I looked at the slowly wakening city that it was probably good that she woke me up as early as she did. At least this way I could avoid a potentially troublesome encounter that might have happened had the store owner or any employees came in to open up for the day. I seriously doubted anyone would be happy to find some kid sleeping in their locked store, let alone with a dog.

My heart was still beating abnormally fast as I tensely walked down the sidewalk. Idly I took note of my surroundings. The rain from the previous day had gone but the ground was still damp, leaving slightly darker marks on the pavement and sidewalk in its wake. Pax followed me as I put more distance between us and the store, simply choosing a direction and just walking.

I seemed to collect some odd looks from passersby as they went about their morning business, off to wherever. I frankly didn't care. By my estimate I had shadow traveled over six-hundred miles, fallen out of a tree, gotten hit by a pickup, and electrocuted a few times all within the span of two days. In addition to all that there was the little part about running for my life earlier from a pack of werewolves who were now out to get me. With this new dream I couldn't remember fully there was a heightened sense of urgency and anxiety in me. Either way I figured my appearance was justified, and I silently dared anybody to say otherwise.

From my check the night before I knew I only had enough money to get myself to Miami if I were to shadow travel somewhere closer first, and Orlando seemed like the place to be as far as midpoints went. I dug around my bag and pulled out the last of my ambrosia supply, eyeing it carefully. _Should I have some now to give me enough fuel to get to Miami, or go the slower way and hope I don't need it later?_ After a moment of deliberation I stuffed the godly food back inside and continued walking

As I continued onward I made myself pull my thoughts away from my dream as best I could. Thinking about it wouldn't help me get to Miami any faster, which was where I needed to be. I could think about it once I was there and with Chiron. Speaking of which, I needed to IM him. I was sure about that much at least. Other things about this morning I may have not been too sure about, but I knew that was the right course of action, or at least part of it. Who knows? He might have a better idea that hadn't crossed my mind to get to Miami sooner.

Mel's Bagel Shop was on my right and after peering inside the window I decided to stop inside to fill up my squirt bottle in the bathrooms. After that I climbed the fence out back to make the call and gave Pax the breakfast I snatched for her earlier now that we were stationary. I still felt on edge but I found a nice spot of sunshine that reflected off a set of wind chimes to place the call. Once I pulled out my drachma I ended up frowning at how many I had left. There was only enough left for one more call after this, I would have to make it count.

Taking a deep breath before initiating the call I waited a minute before Chiron's image took form in the rainbow before me.

"Chiron!" I called, managing to startle him enough to cause the arrow he was releasing to go flying and thump into an off target tree. He turned and once he saw me his face got brighter only to quickly dampen again.

"Allison, how are you faring?" Leave it to Chiron to be the worrying dad figure, though sometimes that is what I really liked about him. Not quite right now though. I looked away briefly, Pax was off near the trash can chasing a beetle. I turned my attention back to Chiron.

"I'm doing fine." He gave me a look, I ignored it. "I'm in Jacksonville. I took your advice and caught a bus in Charleston. After our last call I landed on Roanoke, I actually met a daughter of a Nereid there and in Charleston ran into kind of a unique ghost. Amelia ended up leading me to Pax." Chiron raised an eyebrow to ask the unspoken question of who/what "Pax" was.

In response I turned to my companion and called her over, patting my leg as I did. Pax's ears perked up and she bounded toward me, tails and ears flopping as she ran away from her beetle hunt. I scooped her up, a smile playing on my lips, and held her within view for Chiron.

"She was on the streets. I named her Pax... or possibly the little girl did. Anyway, I think she has some hellhound in her. She's really friendly though." Pax had luckily given up at her attempts to climb up onto my head and was nestling down in my arms, still nuzzling her snout into my hand though. I petted her a bit as I stood there holding her, and with it some of my previous tension started to melt. How couldn't it with Pax around?

"And she has taken to you?" He questioned.

I nodded, then added "She even bit a dracaena for me too."

"And you plan to take her on your quest with you and home to New York afterwards?" I nodded again. Chiron's face took on a certain type of look. "Allison, my dear, now may not be the best-"

"Chiron," I cut him off, knowing exactly what he was going to say. "I'm not leaving her, she is not going back to the streets. I can handle it. Pax has found me again on her own when we got separated anyway, she wants to be with me too. I _am_ bringing her and she _is_ going to have a good home."

I took a breath, resisting the urge to rub my face. "Alright, anyways, I called to talk about getting to Miami. I really only feel like I have enough money to get me there from somewhere like Orlando, so I'm going to shadow travel there and catch a train or something. I wanted to call to see if you had any better ideas I may not have thought of before I made the move to get there. Also I wanted to see if you had a way of possibly meeting me somewhere along the way."

Chiron thought on this for a moment, studying me. "I am unable to travel too far from where I am currently located, but I cannot think of an alternative mode of transportation. Although Allison, dear, are you sure you will have the energy needed to travel that way? If I didn't know any better, I would say you and Nicholas had been sparring... and that you haven't slept. I worry."

For some reason that comment seemed to jar me, my previous tension coming back full force and then some. "I do have the energy, and you know as well as I do that that can never happen again, so don't bring it up. It doesn't matter, it's nothing I can't handle." I said tersely back, lifting Pax further in front of me to better cover the singed marks that decorated my shirt from the night before. I clenched my fist, it hidden behind Pax, and took a breath. "Now, for Miami." Changing the topic back. "If I were to send you an IM once I got there would you be able to get away long enough to pick me up? You said you were closest to there, and I'm not keen on wandering around Miami for long."

Chiron pursed his lips, pensive. I knew he wanted to address what was making me so on edge- heck, I wanted to fully know why I was feeling this way -but he seemed to decide to let it pass for the moment. "Yes, I believe I will be able to do that. I can leave monitoring the situation down here long enough for us to meet. From there I will be able to bring you back and fill you in further on what is happening."

I gave a small tense nod. "Have you gotten in contact with Percy or Annabeth recently?" I really wanted to know if they were okay, especially after that dream. I had a bad feeling about what was coming, and it wasn't solely just from my cryptic dream.

Chiron shook his head as he spoke. "No I have not, but have faith that they are succeeding." He paused for a moment. "Allison, I would worry more about getting yourself to your destination unharmed. Those two work well together, watch each other's backs. Have faith."

I knew he meant well but that statement kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I had gone on various other trips like this in the past, he didn't have to worry. For Pete's sake, I was still in the country for this one.

My face must have betrayed some of my feelings because he continued on. "I do not doubt your ability, I just worry about how taxing it may be. You have not been on your own in a long time on a quest such as this, I fear that-"

"I didn't _ask_ to go solo on this, Chiron." I cut him off. "I would just as well have had company, but there clearly isn't anyone around for that. We barely got a quest out as it was with that buffoon Tantalus around. Percy and Annabeth had to go into the Sea of Monsters with Tyson and I had to stay back, so I am playing backup until they get back with Grover and the Fleece. Worry more about Percy and Annabeth- they are in a sea filled to the brim with monsters that are just looking for some tasty demigod to eat. They are going after something that has been lost for who knows how long, and this is only their second quest! It doesn't matter that Percy is in his element, it's still pretty damn dangerous, Chiron." The hand that had been petting Pax had stilled and gone stiffer.

Chiron raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I understand that may be true, but do not discount what dangers might lay in your own path. Just... be sure to get enough rest. Maybe try on the train ride in."

At this point my squirt bottle was running out of water and the IM was beginning to grow fainter. "Fine. We're about to drop out, but Miami. Meet me there." I reiterated as the connection faded further.

Chiron had this look on his face as he watched me through the mist."Very well, and Allison? Be careful." I knew there was more he wanted to say but he just gave a solemn nod as the connection dissipated into nothingness. I sat there for a moment, Pax in my lap, thinking back on our conversation. _Why did him bringing up Nick get me so agitated?_ I pulled up the dream from the back of my mind and thought it over again. Yeah, there can definitely be bad implications to it, but nothing was always as it seemed at first glance so I told myself not to over think it. I did make a promise to myself to work more on Chiron when we got back to Camp and this whole messy situation was over and dealt with. I knew there was still things he was hiding from me, but that had to wait for the moment.

"You ready for your first shadow travel, girl?" I asked, stowing away the squirt bottle. Pax wriggled around and I was reminded of Lyn with her kind personality and happy demeanor. Standing I slung my bag back over my shoulder and readjusted my grip on Pax, holding her tight.

"And away we go," I mustered up my energy and stepped into the shadow of the nearest trash can, focusing my mind on Orlando. Getting out of Jacksonville would be wonderful.

Immediately I felt my energy draining faster than normal, the addition of traveling with another being making itself very apparent. I hadn't done something like this since the night Percy and I got to camp with the Minotaur. I held Pax firmly as the shadows whipped around us.

I stumbled out of the shadows and crashed right into a parked car, twisting only at the last second to avoid squishing Pax. I pulled myself up off the vehicle and set Pax down. She had this wide-eyed and thrilled look in her eyes, almost akin to the look other dogs get when they are given a brand new toy. I set off in a direction that looked like it led into the main part of the city, ignoring the energy drain for the moment.

* * *

As we walked I found myself calling Pax back to me several times, for her to come away from the edges of the ponds we passed. I wasn't sure what was beneath those waters and I didn't really want to take the chance of her becoming something's snack to find out. What I did find was some leftover water in my bag though, and set it out for her in a bowl. Once she was finished I cleaned up and continued leading the way.

Walking down the streets of the further out parts of Orlando I tried to look for some sort of shop that might have maps inside so I could locate the nearest train station. Peering frequently into window displays for my search I became steadily more discouraged. None of these places looked like they sold maps. I didn't really fancy entering any of these places either if I could help it to ask for directions. Given how grubby I must have looked, and the fact that I didn't want to leave Pax unattended, I kept on walking. People were giving me odd looks as it was.

An older woman looked to be opening up her shop for the day across the street, one that sold craft supplies, so I crossed the street to try to ask for directions.

In the end, the woman had seemed a bit cranky... although if I had a kid in need of clean clothes pestering me at seven in the morning before my morning coffee I might be cranky too, albeit I already kind of was. I had really only gotten a few hours of sleep after those storm spirits. The woman did give Pax part of her bagel though, chastising me for not feeding her enough. At least she seemed to have a soft spot for animals, and gave me directions, even if vague.

We were taking a shortcut through a nice little display that was housed next to its corresponding florist shop to get to the street the woman told me about when I sensed something. It was a kind of presence around me. Immediately my fingers wrapped around my ring and I hesitated mid-stride.

"Allison Cooper," A voice said with distaste. I froze, then cautiously turned around to face this new voice. As a general rule, if someone or something called you by your full name while out on a quest, they were most likely going to attempt to in the least harm you.

The woman standing next to the carnations was in a floral print dress, had golden hair, and her multicolored eyes were fixated on me. My eyes widened at the sight of her and I quickly backpedaled, curse dying on my lips when I was stopped by the knee-high wall of a display behind me. My mind was on red alert. _Out of all the goddesses..._

"So it is true, a spawn of my husband reborn without his intervention. What was it he told me? Oh yes, something about the Fates being involved? Interesting." Upon seeing this new person Pax bounded up to her, most likely encouraged by sensing the woman's connection to the Underworld, but when she got within three feet of the goddess she was fixed with a look and sulked off.

"L-Lady Persephone..." My mind couldn't figure out what to say other than to acknowledge that I was in deep doodoo.

"You helped return his helm, and apparently you were the only one of his spawns to have not turned against the other demigods. Interesting indeed." Persephone was studying me, eyes looking down at me intensely, nose scrunched ever so slightly. I felt like a bug under a microscope.

"And now you are off again to help save your camp. How... noble." She sniffed, turning her nose up and crossing her arms. "You really should present yourself better if you hope to represent my husband- walking around with bloodied and charred clothing like riff-raff."

"Er, I apologize..." I said hesitantly, trailing off. Part of me wanted to ask her just how she expected me to keep my clothes fresh and clean while out on a quest, but I didn't. I knew if I did I had a 99.99% higher chance of being zapped.

Persephone studied me for a moment more, I shifted uneasily. She then let out a kind of _'humph'_ noise, nose still crinkled. The snap of her fingers caused me to jump. Suddenly I was wearing a whole new set of clothes: a floral print shirt and new shorts. It felt like some of the grime that had collected on me since Lyn's had been washed away too.

"Oh, um... thank you, Lady Persephone." I seriously did not want to offend this goddess and get turned into a flower or some other kind of fauna. I could just imagine her doing that and leaving me somewhere for eternity.

Persephone waved her hand dismissively. "If you are to represent your father and the Underworld, and by extension me, then you must be presentable." She sniffed. I just nodded dumbly, completely at a loss for words.

After awkwardly looking at each other for a solid minute- it was awkward to me at least -Persephone spoke up. "I am sure you are wondering why I am here?" She prompted. My mouth had stayed firmly shut to avoid saying something wrong. My heart was racing. If you are the child of a god who has a spouse, you _never_ want to come into contact with said spouse. Golden rule for demigods.

"Yeah- er, yes. I mean no disrespect..." I started carefully, measuring my words. "But you are one of the last goddesses I would expect to want to appear before me.

"Hmm... yes. Normally I would rather not bother with one of you spawns, but my husband requested I meet you here."

"Oh..." Thanks _dad._

"I am no messenger," She said, her distaste over this whole thing very evident in her voice. "But he insisted I bring you an item that will help you on your journey. It also just so happens that I have a task that needs completing. If you complete this task to my qualifications, you will receive this item. If not, you will not receive this item, but I do believe this florist's shop is a bit lacking in the sunflower department."

Inside my head my mind was buzzing, trying to figure out just _why_ Dad thought it would be a good idea to send the one goddess that would probably enjoy it the most if I were to suddenly combust. Then my brain focused in on the stipulation she made me and her thinly veiled threat. She had a task for me. My stomach dropped with dread. Persephone would probably send me off somewhere to get me severely maimed, or killed... again. Then if I did actually manage to come back alive I might just be turned into a plant if things weren't done exactly to her liking. Persephone was never fond of Dad's demigod kids. Sure I could understand why, but this was almost parallel to Hera sending Hercules on all those labors, hoping he would get himself killed in the process. No, this was exactly like that.

"What can I do for you, then?" I almost didn't want to ask the obligatory question for fear of her answer.

Persephone studied me for a long moment before speaking. "There is a cemetery north of here. There is a nymph with whom I am friends. There have been disturbances at the cemetery, her tree is located within. You will fix these disturbances." I seriously didn't like how she was explaining this supposed issue as _disturbances._ There was a kind of malicious sparkle in her eyes that made me want to just shadow travel out and head for the hills. It was clear that Persephone had a representative to watch me as I completed her task that would be reporting straight back to her. Despite that, I knew I had to face this.

"How long do I have to complete this?" I forced out.

She looked me over again. "Midnight tonight. You will go to the cemetery at sundown and there you will complete your task. You will either prove yourself worthy as a child of my husband and the Underworld, or you will fail. You are not permitted to use your weapons while you are there either. I do not care what you do with your time until sundown, but you will be there this evening. Oak Grove Cemetery." And with that she vanished from existence. I let out a previously pent-up breath and flopped down onto the wall behind me.

"Playing with fire..." I muttered to myself and ran an anxious hand through my hair. This was bad. What Dad was sending me did interest me, but the larger, more sane part of me, was still trying to calm down from a near panic attack from seeing the goddess only six feet in front of me. _The_ goddess children of Hades feared most, standing six feet away. _What was dad_ thinking? I groaned and looked up at the sky. " _Why..._ "

Sitting there for a few minutes recollecting myself I finally hoisted myself up, now resigned to the fact that I was stuck in Orlando until this was over. One way or another. If only I hadn't asked that woman or came near this shop. I called for Pax and she followed me out, her previously despondent demeanor she had gotten when Persephone made her scamper away slowly fading. My feet practically dragged as I walked down the street in the direction I had originally been heading. Technically I could just walk away, if I wanted to be a flower. _Maybe that wouldn't be so bad?_ I shook my head. I had roughly eleven hours to kill before I had to do whatever crazy task Persephone had cooked up for me... without my weapons.

On our walk through the outskirts of Orlando Pax somehow procured a tennis ball- probably from someone's lawn we had passed. She trotted alongside me merrily, carrying it in her mouth, tail wagging, oblivious. Sleep would need to happen if I wanted to hope to be up until at least midnight, maybe later, probably fighting things. I couldn't run forever on the few hours I had under my belt.

There was a house that looked to be under construction coming up on my right. Nobody appeared to be around to see so after double checking I walked onto the lawn and led us into the house. The whole place smelled of sawdust and paint, but it would do. After a quick sweep of the house before I settled myself down I deemed it safe and set up shop in an upstairs room. Pax had dropped the ball with a hopeful look on her face at my feet. You could only go so long trying to avoid looking at those puppy-dog eyes without caving. She got her wish a few minutes later when I settled down to rest and tossed it idly for her to play with. The night ahead of me was not one I was looking forward to. I was positive that Persephone had assured my death the moment she said I couldn't use my weapons.

Rhythmically tossing the ball for Pax after she brought it back ended up almost lulling me to sleep where I was sitting. That was until something shocked me awake, that is. Pax had just appeared from the shadow of that paint bucket carrying the ball I tossed down the hallway. I did a double take. _Did she just shadow travel?_ Pax trotted back to me and dropped the toy at my feet, looking very proud of herself.

"How did you- you just... you did, didn't you?" I stuttered. "I have a shadow traveling dog... Nick would be _so_ jealous." I said to myself in disbelief. Pax... shadow traveling... just wow. Nick for some weird reason, just like Percy, loved shadow travel. Apparently he liked the rush of it all and I couldn't begin to count the amount of times he had said how much he wanted to be able to do it himself. In response to that I would always bring up how not that many people could practically fly. He would just stick his tongue out at me.

I smiled at the memory. Somehow I felt this stunt was connected to that look she had in her eyes after I brought us to Orlando. Maybe that had been her first time shadow traveling and she just wanted to test it out for herself? Who knew. She did seem significantly more tired after she came out of the shadow though, only going after the ball a few more times before settling in to sleep. That seemed like a good idea, sleep was definitely calling to me, so I followed her lead and set down my bag as a pillow and drifted off, ring grasped in my fist.

* * *

By some miracle I was able to get nearly a full night's rest uninterrupted. It was almost like the universe knew I would really need all the energy I could get for this task ahead. The sun was getting lower in the sky, closer and closer to the horizon when I woke. Soon it would fade out of sight. If I had to guess I would say it was around six. My stomach growled at me but I told it to shut it before sitting myself up to collect my things, I would eat later. I looked down at my weapons, thinking about how I seriously didn't want to walk into some place Persephone told me to go and do some unexplained task without at least being able to _use_ them. Even though I _really_ wasn't looking forward to what was coming next, I needed to get walking nonetheless. There wasn't really a choice in the matter for me. At least if I did indeed not use them she couldn't call penalty and turn me into a flower... hopefully. She might just do it anyways.

By this point Pax was already up and after lingering for as long as I could I retraced our steps back to where I met the goddess. Once I hit the florist's shop I went north, just like how Persephone had directed.

The closer we got the less I had to actually look for the place, I could just tell we were nearly there. Call it a child of Hades thing, we kind of got that very cheery sense that notifies us if we are close to someplace like where I was heading. Wonderful, I know. It was just about sunset now and my ring kept being turned around in my hand as the distance closed.

Oak Grove Cemetery was a nice place, flowers lined the rod iron fence that enclosed the property and there were neat paths among the graves, spotted with the occasional mausoleum. Sure enough, just as its name would suggest, there were oak trees too. Some of the larger trees were playing host to Spanish Moss that draped down from their branches. I reluctantly slipped my ring back onto my finger and stepped up to the gates. The fleeting thought of wondering if being a flower could really be so bad pushed aside I pursed my lips. Forcing down the urge to run, I entered the gates.

Cautiously I walked through the cemetery, keeping a lookout for anything and everything as I went. Persephone had never specified exactly what these 'disturbances' were, I was in the dark on that one. I was pretty sure I would be able to tell what they were though once I saw them, sadly. As I passed I read some of the various epitaphs, thinking that maybe one might stand out. None did.

The night sky was already out in full, I had lost track of just how long I had been wandering around. Logically speaking in any normal circumstance, I knew I shouldn't be as jittery as I was in a place like this, with Persephone involved... that changed the game.

* * *

It was at the south side of the cemetery where I picked out a light and some shadowy figures moving against the walls of a mausoleum. The consistency of the shadows from the light source were flickering, almost as if from firelight. Given its size, it looked like it could be coming from a few matches, or maybe a lighter. I had to pause. That didn't make any sense- since when did monsters bring a lighter with them when they went to hang out at their local graveyard? Grant it, there were some monsters that were very fond of flames, such as one Cyclops Nick and I ran into. We later dubbed it 'Mr. Pyro' after our encounter, but that was years ago. Fire was associated with other monsters too, but I seriously doubted the chimera or even the bronze bulls would be giving off that little light. Both of those types of creatures should be already handled right now too.

Pax seemed to notice the light, I could tell because of the way she picked up her pace as she trotted along.

"Pax, come back here! You don't know what that is." I hissed quietly. The last thing I wanted for her was to get hurt on some suicide mission I was sent on by a vengeful stepmother. Pax was good though and came back to walk alongside me.

 _Are those voices?_ I could swear I detected voices, and not adult voices. _What the heck did she set up for me?_ Once I grew closer I realized the situation.

Five teenagers- three girls and two boys- dressed all in black and leather gear with eyeliner and chain accessories were gathered around something on the ground. Two of the girls appeared to be wearing black lipstick too. I then heard the clinking of glasses and I felt my face drop, the pieces falling into place. _Are you serious? A bunch of angsty teens hanging around and drinking in a graveyard at night?_ What was this, a setup to a horror film? This had to be some kind of joke, but there they were, clear as day. I dropped my attempts at approaching quietly and marched over to them.

"Hey, you lot! What do you think you're doing?" I called out sharply. Their raucous laughter died at the sound of my voice as they all turned to me. I realized that to them I must have been a funny sight to see- some tiny thirteen-year-old in floral print with her puppy, yelling at them in a cemetery at night to get out of their hangout spot. The teens all shared a look for a moment, silent. Then I guess they couldn't hold it any longer and burst out into even louder laughter than before. One of the boys went so far as to be doubled over laughing.

Just as I was about to tell them to continue to laugh it up I suddenly became acutely aware of something unsettling. It was as if the earth was writing under our feet. It was then that the first skeletal hand broke free of the confines of the ground behind the teens. That hand was quickly followed by several more of its friends.

"You've got to be kidding me..." I deadpanned. What was this, Night of the Living Dead? Leave it to Persephone to raise a bunch of skeletons for me to fight off without my weapons, and while making sure these numbskulls didn't get themselves killed.

The teenagers laughter only broke when one of the girls let out an ear-piercing scream, a skeletal hand latching onto her foot to pull itself out. That scream was like a switch being flipped, the teens immediately looked to see what caused their friend to scream. I couldn't be sure what they were seeing through the Mist, but it was obviously enough to make them drop what they had with them and take off running. At first they briefly floundered to get out of the array of skeletal hands cropping up at their feet, beverages sloshing out onto the ground and abandoned spray paint cans clattering down in their wake.

Once they got free they didn't even slow as they barreled their way past me, on the contrary, they seemed to just pick up more speed now that they were out of the way of the rising skeletons. As it was I had already started backing up myself- these skeletons were armed. Swords, knives, a mace, spears, and one even had an actual pitchfork with it. _Aren't the villagers supposed to be chasing_ them _with the pitchforks?_ I slung off my backpack without looking and dug out Pax's new tennis ball.

"Pax, fetch!" I turned sharply on my heel and threw the ball for all I was worth over the hill and she barked happily, running after her toy. I couldn't let her get caught up in this soon to be fight, and I was glad those teens had enough sense to get the hell out of Dodge. These skeletons were not happy skeletons here to share a cup of tea. No, they were clacking their teeth at each other, drawing their weapons up from the ground where they had been laying when they were crawling their way up from the earth.

I knew this was bad, I was not very good or well versed at the power set this issue would require, and I had the feeling Persephone had planned it that way. _Fudge..._ The skeletons seemed to finally notice they were not alone at this point. Like a whole synchronized unit of possessed dolls, their heads all turned at once toward me and I knew in that moment I had to at least attempt it.

"STOP! I order you to return to the Underworld!" I ordered as commandingly as I could muster, taking a bold step forward and squaring my shoulders. The response I got was a rusty knife thrown at my head. I easily sidestepped the knife but this just confirmed that these guys wouldn't be as easily dealt with as I had dared hope.

The skeletons started to advance on me, hoisting their assorted weapons. I longed to be able to whip out my knife or something and knock some heads. I clenched my fist. _Stupid Persephone._ Who knew what might happen if I went against a direct order and took any of my weapons out. I had a feeling that nymph friend of hers would be jumping to tell her if I did that.

I backed up further, eyes firmly locked on the skeletons, mind scrambling for solutions. It was stupid really, I should have been able to avoid it, but I was so focused on the skeletons that I stumbled backwards over a low tombstone. That one act was the trigger for them to clatter their teeth with renewed vigor, like a battle cry, and charge. I cursed mentally, and probably audibly, and clambered to my feet again. I raced off in the direction the teens had vanished in, collection of very pissed off skeletons at my tail.

More and more of the skeletons were cropping up in my path as I ran, crawling up from the soil around me, gradually enclosing me. Persephone was probably somewhere laughing right about now. A couple of the original batch of skeletons had managed to catch up with me. Because of this I had to chuck my backpack off to the side, conveniently striking a rising skeleton in the head and sending its skull rolling, and dodge the swings of their weapons.

Between weaving myself around their strikes I got an idea and started to work my way behind one of the skeletons. I had to dodge the arch of its bent sword but I was able to get to where I wanted to be.

I pressed my hand to the back of the skeleton's skull and focused my energy. This had to work, otherwise I would be as good as gone. I willed the skeleton to return to the earth with all my might, focusing as best I could with a small army of skeletons steadily surrounding me.

Under the palm of my hand the bones of the skeleton started to rattle. There was then a flash of black light centered around its skull and my hand and it broke apart in seconds, crumpling to the ground. I snatched the sword it had been using out of the air and swung around me in a wide arch at the skeleton coming up on my back. The bones from the broken skeleton were getting reabsorbed into the ground. My energy levels had taken a dramatic drop but now that I had a sword, I stood a chance. Persephone had only specified _my_ weapons in her ultimatum, she never said anything about the ones I might be able to get my hands on while I was here.

The skeleton that had been approaching from behind me hadn't had the time to back off once I got the sword, but now the skeletons nearest me hesitated, teeth clacking in agitation upon seeing two of their comrades fall. The sword was bent and unbalanced in my hand but it was my best bet at getting rid of these guys.

I started dancing my way around their strikes as best I could, wincing in pain as one of the spikes from the mace cut me above my eyebrow. I had to shake my head a few times as I fought to get the blood out of my vision.

When the skeletons broke apart after I would cut them in half with the sword they thankfully returned to the earth. So far there were no signs of them reemerging. I was jostled around a lot but I took down seven more in a short time frame, giving myself a brief moment of rest now that the ones closest were back in the ground. More skeletons were rising though, this made me really want to curse Persephone out for this crazy idea of hers.

I chopped the head off the last skeleton in my immediate area and watched as its remains, bloody mace and all, were absorbed again.

"I did _not_ sign up for this." I growled, looking around at the swath of skeletons before me and swiping clear my vision again. There was some clear space around me before the next wave would be within fighting distance. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, zeroing in my senses on the ground. I could sense the skeletons as they grew closer. There was a wrenching in my gut and I opened my eyes to see a crack rapidly carving itself into existence in the earth. Skeletons were falling into the void space, the crevice forming a barrier between us.

I was panting now, all of this way more exertion than I was used to. I was very thankful for that sleep I was able to get earlier. It seemed as though they had stopped rising and there were only about twenty left on the other side of the crevice. Make that nineteen, one was stupid enough to try to jump and only succeeded in getting itself down into the pit.

After heaving a deep breath I stabbed my sword into the ground, striking my hand out in the direction of the remaining skeletons. _Go big or go home._ If Persephone wanted me to prove myself, then I would do just that.

Concentrating hard on the skeletons with my mind I put all my will into getting them to return to where they came from.

Sweat was dripping off my face and my hand was shaking. I squeezed my eyes shut. It felt like my stomach was taking another blow from Chester's blade. I fell to a knee, only keeping myself propped up by gripping tight onto the handle of my sword.

With a yell the skeletons one by one broke apart and melted back into the ground, weapons following behind them. I could hear the sounds of their bones clattering against the ground and a few tombstones as they disappeared. With each one more energy drained away and I felt myself growing rapidly lightheaded, nearly emptying my stomach. I had to see this through, I couldn't leave any left. Persephone wanted a show and I was done with her game.

As the last bones from the final skeleton went away I closed the crack I had opened in the earth. I gasped, opening my eyes. Everything was kind of fuzzy but there were no more skeletons. I almost keeled over right there, throwing a hand out to steady myself, but I was smiling despite that. I had done it, I sent them away. The bent sword I had been using was next to sink back down before I slumped over onto my back, pushing the blood away that was threatening to mar my vision again.

What I needed right now was about a week's worth of sleep. It was tempting to just fall sleep right there but I stayed awake, giving myself a number of minutes to gather myself again. In that time Pax had come out from wherever she was hiding after the fight broke out and sat herself down on my stomach, a bone in her mouth.

Finally, after many minutes, I pulled myself up and went to collect my bag, digging around in search of my ambrosia. I went and swallowed what was left of it, which wasn't a lot, but I needed it to get back to the florist shop in time. Pax's tennis ball was lying next to my bag when I got there. I stuffed it in and sent the bone she had been carrying away. People would not be fond of seeing bones aboveground in this place, or anywhere for that matter.

* * *

Somehow I made it back to the florist in time. Along the way the cut above my eyebrow had healed and the weight in my mind lessened thanks to the godly food. With each step I kept telling myself that I was just getting closer and closer to being able to sleep.

Persephone was waiting for me, leaning against the half-wall studying me as I approached. I figured that the slightest twitch up of her eyebrow meant she could possibly be the vaguest bit impressed I hadn't gotten myself killed. Her nose wasn't crinkled either. Very encouraging. That, or she was mad I didn't die... fifty-fifty chance.

I stopped a few feet short of her and waited for her to speak first. She scrutinized me under that multicolored gaze for a few more moments before reaching into the pocket of her dress and pulling out a small drawstring bag, tossing it to me. I hastily caught it and opened it to see what was inside.

"Pomegranate seeds?" I asked with a bit of strain in my voice, looking up to her. I had done all that for some pomegranate seeds?

"From my garden in the Underworld." She explained. "You will know what to do with them when the time comes and you are in dire need of them." She stated plainly. I looked from the seeds to her and back, trying to piece it together through my already half-asleep mind. _Dire need? What, do I like eat them if I'm in trouble and they poof me somewhere else like the pearls?_ I didn't like her phrasing in that either.

I did the safe thing and said, "Thank you, milady."

Persephone gave me a curt nod in return. She looked pensive for a moment before she spoke. "The weapons your father gave you, they are yours. It does not hurt to change their form on occasion. As the owner, it is within your abilities." I raised my eyebrows and looked at my bracelet. _Change their form? Like make it a pen or something?_ Then I thought to why she was even bothering to tell me this in the first place.

"Er-"

"You will know when the time comes." She said and I could almost swear I registered the barest hint of pity on her face as she said this. She then snapped her fingers and disappeared.

Cautiously I closed the bag of pomegranate seeds, hiding it safely away on my person. If that had actually been pity and she phrased it as 'dire need', then I would prefer them to be with me at all times. A small part of me questioned if they could be poisoned or not but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

I sighed, rubbing a hand down my face. "Alright, come on Pax. Let's find a place to sleep."

* * *

Pax followed me as I led us back to the house we stayed in earlier in the day. In the morning I would get myself a train ticket, but I seriously needed to sleep first. Before I could do that though I made sure to check the house again for any monsters camping out. Luckily the coast was clear.

Laying there I was exhausted but unable to fall asleep. Something was stopping me. Call it curiosity niggling at my mind, but it was what Persephone had said about my weapons. Finally I couldn't ignore it any longer and pulled off my necklace, holding in my hand, staring down intently at it.

"Bracelet." I said.

Nothing happened. Maybe I had to concentrate and picture what I wanted in my head or something, not just say a keyword. I stared at it again, pulling up a picture of a bracelet in my mind. "Bracelet." I said again quietly, focusing on the object in my hand.

I nearly jumped when it started to morph, becoming smaller and turning into a bracelet. When it was finished it looked like an empty charm bracelet, no charms linked to the chain. My mouth was agape. How had I not known this before? It could have come in handy in the past in times where I needed to hide the necklace, the _Camp Half-Blood_ inscription liable to give me away.

Slowly I slipped on the bracelet, then tried activating it like I did my sword's bracelet. My trusty knife appeared in my hand, plain as day. A smile grew on my face. If Kronos told Luke about this weapon's hidden form then he would be in for a surprise. I threw my knife experimentally, lodging it into some plywood across the room. Pax was asleep at this point and didn't stir. I flicked my wrist and the bracelet appeared on me again.

"Okay, this is awesome." I almost laughed despite my need for sleep. After owning this for all these years I was only just finding this trick out now. I went on to test it out on my sword, trying to turn the bracelet into something else. The only thing it changed into was another kind of bracelet- a braided leather type one. I switched it back to its regular form and leaned back onto my makeshift pillow. Of all the people to tell me about this, Persephone being the one to do it was too bizarre.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you had a nice week, mine was busy but I enjoyed it. Let me know what you think 'bout this update/chapter, it ended up being a long one. Also thanks for understanding and being so nice about the delay, it is really nice to see :) Hope you have a nice week! **P.S.** I knew I forgot something last night- if you didn't get to see the temp. chapter 10 note saying how this one would be late, next week's one will probably be a little late too. Posting day, Friday, is literally graduation day so will be a bit occupied, along with the next day. I am also doing a bit more revisions than normal on that one, but it is shorter than this one so won't be as long to revise. As a brief note on here to A. Mellark's daughter: Terima kasih banyak! :)


	11. Chapter 11: House of Wolves

**6/15/16:** Apologies for the delay, but hello! It has been a bit of a weird and busy week, graduation, relatives, blah blah etc. For some reason I wasn't able to upload the file, but I had that late temp note still saved so just changed the contents of that to be able to post this for you awesome peoples. I've been waiting to use this chapter title too. Anyways, you might hate me at the end of this chapter but there is always a reason for stuff ;) Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 11: House of Wolves**

* * *

There was a figure pacing back and forth across a room in my dreams that night. When it came into clearer focus I was able to make out the figure to be Luke. He wasn't alone either, there was another figure in the room with him, but I couldn't see them well. They were just a shadowy mass lingering near the wall. They weren't in the room I had last seen them in, the one that housed the golden sarcophagus they were raising Kronos into. This room was smaller... maybe someone's private quarters. No... that wasn't it. There was no furniture around the place to indicate someone was living there.

 _"... get what you need... brat... get it out of..."_ I was only able to pick up a select few words of what the shadowy figure was saying, which was frustrating. What good was a demigod dream if you couldn't get decent info from it? It was like they were clouded just enough for me to be unable to deduce who the person was or what exactly they were saying, but clear enough to know it was Luke and an accomplice.

 _"Time is running out... we don't get... punishment."_ I gathered from Luke. Unlike the shadowy figure, his figure wasn't clouded per se, but it was just grainy enough for me to not be able to read his lips as he spoke to get the rest of his statement. _What are they talking about and who is that person?_ There was a steadily forming feeling of unease growing inside me as I watched Luke continue to pace about the room.

 _"Best chances..."_ All of a sudden my dream was cut short by an earsplitting screech. My first thought had been that it sounded like a tiger being tortured or something, which was disconcerting in its own rite.

My eyes flew open and I saw a black-winged creature soaring towards me. I had just enough time to think ' _Crud_ ' before it slammed into me full force. The impact was like I was getting hit with that damned truck again in Jacksonville, just no metal this time. With a grunt I was sent flying backwards into a wall, my head slamming into a board that had been resting on some construction equipment and sending it down with me. There was a kind of _Floosh!_ and a cloud of sawdust exploded in the air around me.

Head ringing the board crashed down over my legs. I quickly pulled them back and gave the board a deft kick up at the creature only to have it batted way by a sharp set of talons like it was nothing as I rolled, trying to cough away the sawdust clinging to me. The sky was still mostly dark, but through the rays of the early morning sunshine just peaking through I could make out the form of a large cat-like body with wings stretching out from its shoulder blades. The head of the creature was a bird of prey- it was a gryphon.

"Damn," I hastily rolled back again to avoid another swipe of its talons and slapped my bracelet to activate it, midnight-black sword springing into my hand. Harshly parrying away another slash of its gigantic paws I scrambled to my feet. As I backed away I frantically looked around the room in search of Pax. Hopefully she had gotten herself out of here by now so I could deal with this thing without worry. Pax wasn't within sight but I did see the gryphon's beady red eyes pass over my ring for a brief second before it launched itself at me again. Faintly I remembered through my still half-asleep mind that gryphons had a thing for shiny metal stuff. Too bad it seemed too preoccupied with trying to slash me to ribbons to be distracted by that though.

Now, most monsters were usually more weary upon facing a stygian iron weapon, but this gryphon either didn't care, or had never dealt with one before. It kept pushing me back with its attacks and it wasn't until I was backed up to one of the few empty window frames of the room that I realized I was on the second floor. The windows were not a viable option for escape even if my movement here had been intentional.

I was able to land a hit on the gryphon's side when I heard the sound of another thing screeching, a blur rapidly coming closer from my right. Before I could react I was sideswiped with a large black feathery wing and my legs caught the window frame. For a horrific moment, which felt like forever, I was suspended between backward motion out the window, and gravity taking effect.

There was a rush of air around me, my hair thrown skyward as I tumbled through the void, sword escaping my grip as I shouted in surprise. Next came the impact of the fall, just like my first meeting with Lyn. At least there had been some tall bushes planted alongside the house so my landing wasn't as bad as it could have been. Leaves were tossed free of their branches before my momentum carried me to crash down onto the grass below.

Laying there stunned for a few seconds before my reflexes kicked in I detached myself from the foliage and rolled into a standing position, swiping lose hair from my vision. My sword wasn't anywhere in sight and when I put weight down on my left ankle it caused me to wince.

My mind was in overdrive, forcing away any lingering drowsiness as I ran through possible strategies in my literal all-out sprint back into the building. These things needed to be gone- a good morning gryphon attack was _not_ my idea of a good morning- and I wanted to not have to deal with any monsters for at least a few more hours. The universe just didn't seem to want to let me have a break. The theory running through my head as I ran was that if the little demon spawns had less flying space it would cut down on their room to maneuver, and thus I would be able to reach them better.

I tore off my ring and activated it, knowing my other sword would return with time I didn't have. I needed the reach of a sword for this one first and foremost, but I pulled out my knife alongside it anyway. My hand had originally gone to my neck to where it usually rested but then went to the weapon's new location around my wrist.

I was breathing hard when I ducked into a side room to let one of the screeching gryphons swoop past me down the hallway. I had to hit the deck when the second came tearing through the hallway, its talons just nearly missing my back as I went down. There was another terrible screech elicited from the gryphon, this time from pain as I viciously swung my sword up at it, hand tightly holding the grip, anger growing. A shower of gold dust rained down on me as it died a second later.

Disintegrating the remaining gryphon's friend did not seem to get me any bonus points with it to make it want to kill me less, it really only got the thing even more pissed off than before. The gryphon landed and spun around while giving a powerful beat of its wings to renew its path to me while screeching loudly at me in protest, its red eyes meeting mine. I glared right back at the creature.

"You want me? Come and get me, birdbrain!" I snapped and charged, distance swiftly closing between us. Running towards an angry gryphon may not have been my best idea, but I was mad. At the last second I slid and ducked into a side doorframe just in time to not give the gryphon the ability to stop to attack as it soared past. The moment the path was clear I leaped out into the hallway again and threw my knife, hard. It landed with a solid _Thunk_ into the gryphon's already injured flank as it tried to change directions to reach me again. There was another pained screech from the gryphon that woke me as it followed its friend's example, bursting into gold dust that littered the floor.

I took deep gasping breaths, heart pounding a mile a minute. My knuckles were white around the handle of my sword as I leaned back into the wall behind me, huffing out a heavy breath.

" _Can I not just wake up peacefully for once?_ " Seriously, that was all I asked for on a morning like this- to not wake up to a monster screeching in my ears as they attacked me in my sleep, or to not get thrown out of windows before sunrise. This was only the forth damned day of this trip and I had already gotten the crud beaten out of me. This wasn't even an official quest! It was just constantly one thing after another, making me dance around like a puppet.

As I stood there, breathing hard, my mind fell back to the dream I had before I sent my last I-M to Chiron. Lightning, unrecognizable shroud, sad Chiron. I _knew_ there was something else there, but I couldn't come up with the missing piece, and it was really frustrating. It almost felt like I was given these pieces to a puzzle but the whole center of the thing was missing, just out of my reach, but I knew it was there. Tack on the dream I was having right before this morning's gryphon attack and it was not a kind combo to think about. Just by the sounds of what I was able to pick up, Luke needed something... badly. That other figure wasn't comforting either- my skin crawled just thinking about them. The black eyes from the end of my dream in Jacksonville came up into my mind. Those things just felt cold, unrelenting, and flat out dangerous. You could literally see the malicious intent masked behind that gaze. Whoever, or whatever those eyes belonged to, I did not want to meet them.

What really grated at me was the Fates, though I was indeed fed up with the whole thing. My breathing didn't seem to want to calm down as my temper rose. It was clear the Fates had something to do with all of this- they were the Fates! Everyone could be turned into their puppet, but why did they have to mess with me so much? The shadows started to shift. Were we all just inconsequential to their fun? I wasn't some toy for their entertainment, nobody was. No, I should be dead right now... simple as that, but I was apparently needed for some grander purpose. What that was, I still didn't know. I just wanted to be left alone, to be back in simpler times. Hell, I would even accept how things were near the end of my last lifetime. Everything was just so freaking complicated and twisted now, nothing was clear. The shadows flicked around me and drew in closer, wrapping around my shoes.

In a swell of anger I stabbed my sword down into the floorboards at my feet, and twisting my fist connected with the wall behind me. The sword stayed propped up in its spot, driven into the wood, wobbling slightly from the force used to stick it there. I sank down against the wall and exhaled a long breath and put my head against my knees, hands finding the back of my neck. I ignored the slight throbbing that pulsed through my knuckles from striking the wall.

"Why is there always something?" I asked my myself, voice taut and fists clenched, head pressing back to the wall. Couldn't I just live my life without strings being pulled around? My wrist grew cold for a moment as my knife returned, sword doing the same a few moments later.

I stared at the remains of the gryphons around me for a long time, eyes transfixed on the piles of monster dust. How many times had I seen that dust in my life? This quest alone?

I gritted my teeth. This was it, the final straw. I was done not knowing all the details, tired of being kept in the dark. The Fates wanted to put me in this time? Fine, but tell me why I am here, and _why me._ Don't just pull me out of my life and dump me here without any explanation. I needed to know what they had planned that was so important.

"When this thing is over," I promised myself, voice echoing through the empty house around me. "I _am_ getting answers."

I would find out just what made me so special in their minds as to gain their personal attention. I was just another demigod in a long line of them, I never stood out at camp. This life or last. In all respects they shouldn't even have bothered noticing me. In both lives I was just known as another unclaimed kid living in the Hermes cabin, one who stuck around children of the Big Three like a leech. At least, that is what Raymond equated it to once anyway, the old buffoon from the Ares cabin. He was right in a way too, and it had stung, even more-so now.

So easily I could just slip into the background, but even though I never really fit in with the majority, I still had felt that sense of responsibility to protect others. In this lifetime that was just magnified. I was never a big figure, nor did I think I ever would be. I've always just been on the sidelines, quietly assisting. Nothing of note to others yet I still felt that incessant need to do it. The Fates must have really been getting bored to single out _me_. Guiltily I longed for before I knew about this world at times, back when my biggest problem was school... everything was so much simpler then.

An old memory of an encounter I had with a half-brother dredged its way up into my mind as I sat there... something I would have rather forgotten.

 _"Why do you help them? All they do is step on you. Are you so stuck in your fantasy of being wanted that you are blind to us who are making a rightful stand? Their so called 'friendship' is false, they don't care, sorella. They never have."_ Antonio's voice was sharp even through the normally soft Italian. He had said more than just that, but that statement in particular stood out to me in this moment. He hadn't been able to understand why I was going against them, allying myself with Camp. By that point in his life though he was already twisted, life having beaten down on him and taken its toll, much like many of the others on that side. Too far gone to see any possible good left around them.

My fingernails bit into my palms. The ending of that discussion was not one I liked to remember either... I ended up attacking him out of anger, managing to break free of the ropes restraining me only for him to win and me to become even more worse for wear than before. He had just been _waiting_ for the moment I would snap. After that mistake I had made sure to make it much harder for someone to get to me. I was only thirteen then too, I was not as practiced at restraining the anger that would flare with those types of comments as I usually was now. Nick was the one who got us out of that one, dragging my sorry butt halfway across Italy after I pulled one last shadow travel to get us away. Antonio was taken out of the picture the day we escaped.

Right there was just another thing that was being hidden from me. I was tired of Chiron skirting around the subject- Nick was my best friend and I realized I'd be damned if I let the subject drop, to be pushed aside for a later date. I couldn't let it rest, I wouldn't. This thought brought more weight to it than I thought it would... something about what happened to Nick was really nagging at my mind. Did I even bother to ask what happened to Ms. Evans after I got back? Had our situations been reversed that would have been one of the first things he'd have done. It just showed how lousy a friend I was. We used to do everything together... but in the end he had to attend my funeral alone, and I made it that way. If only I had been more careful, been strong enough to end that fight with Chester sooner... something.

My fingernails were digging deeper into my palms while I took long deep breaths as I sat there against the wall in that vacant house. I didn't know how many minutes had passed before I forced myself to reconstruct my walls and remind myself why I was here. All the injustices and secrets, all of the thoughts of times gone by and when things went wrong, filed away. I didn't have time to get lost in this type of thing now, I had to get to Miami and meet up with Chiron. That was the larger, more pressing issue, and thinking about that stuff wouldn't help me get there any faster. I had people that needed me right now, in the more immediate present. Besides, the sooner this was accomplished, the sooner I could delve into those issues.

I felt a small cautious body brush up against my leg and lay down under my knees. Pax whined, watching me with that look on her face. I closed my eyes and took another long, deep breath, steeling myself. I forced a smile onto my face.

"Glad to see you're okay, girl. Come on, let's get of here."

* * *

Once I retrieved my backpack from the room upstairs we walked to the train station. The next train that was heading to Orlando would be arriving in an hour. I pulled out the last of my money reluctantly, and just as I had predicted, all of it went towards purchasing the ticket. After that I sat with Pax on a bench near where the trains were coming in, studying the foot traffic as it passed, avoiding getting into any deeper thought.

At one point while we sat there I was digging through my bag in search of something to drink when my hand passed over something that wasn't there previously. There was a little baggie of ambrosia and a canteen of water. I could have sworn that I ate the last of my ambrosia back in the graveyard. No, I was positive of that, but the explanation as to why there was ambrosia in my bag now was too farfetched to even entertain. Persephone would never have given an illegitimate kid of her husband any more aid that what was absolutely necessary and specified by my father. Nonetheless I took a small bite of the godly food, replenishing some much needed energy and successfully driving away the newly formed lump on the back of my head. The normal taste of my mother's caramel the ambrosia usually took on was more muted than the last time I had it in the graveyard.

Pax kept looking over to me as we waited there, ears going down in concern every time she did. _Great, even the dog is worried about me._ I thought back to what Chiron was saying last time we spoke. _'Do not discount what dangers there may be in your own path'._ I would prove to him that he didn't have to worry, it was Percy and Annabeth he should be worrying about. They were on the much more dangerous quest, I could and would handle myself.

Logically I knew that sure, I had fought some monsters on this trip that got a little closer than I would have liked to getting the better of me, but in my mind it just didn't seem to compare to where Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson were. I couldn't help but worry about them, I was unable to get to them easily if they needed help... nobody could. Call me a mother hen, but by the time someone could get there it could already be too late, and I would lose them. They were on their own in the middle of a monster infested ocean away from any help. Feeling my earlier stress creeping its way back I focused my mind back on the traffic around me, foot tapping idly on the sidewalk to the Billie Holiday song I filled my head with.

An hour finally passed and our train rolled into the station. I hid Pax inside my backpack again and boarded one of the large black carts to find a seat away from the other riders. Once the departure time hit the train started to pull out of the station and I found myself plopping down in one of the cool blue seats, relaxing slightly. We should be moving fast enough now that I wouldn't have to worry much about attracting a monster's attention. In other words, I could hopefully get a break until we arrived in Miami. From there I would I-M Chiron and we could meet up, he would be able to take me back to where he had stationed himself. I wouldn't have to be on constant guard.

Backpack and Pax on my lap as we rode I watched the city grow further away through the cloudy window. Pax kept herself busy by chewing on the top of my bag as I stroked her head. The only person I was really sure had noticed her was a little girl further down the aisle who was sitting with her mother. Brief eye contact and me raising a finger to my lips in a _Shh_ gesture, giving her a wink conveyed my request. She smiled, repeating the gesture in affirmation and went back to her game. By the looks of it I would say they were playing _'I Spy'_ ; her mom was pointedly looking around the cart in an exaggerated manor in search of something, causing her to giggle.

Head rested against the window I closed my eyes and I was slowly able to relax a bit more after a while. I was still drained from the previous night in the cemetery, waking up to an early morning gryphon attack hadn't helped that any. _Note to self: Avoid goddesses who like to raise the dead and expect you to clean up._ Dad must have known she would try something like that when he asked her to deliver the seeds to me, I was sure of that. Those things also confused me. Pomegranate seeds were an icon of the Underworld, but why didn't I already know something about them if they were so special for my dad to send them? Given how Persephone said I would need them later it sounded like they could possibly be a kind of healing thing. There weren't really many other things they could be, aside from maybe acting like the pearls Percy's dad sent him last year... or acting as a magical grenade somehow when thrown, but that was very unlikely. Cool, but unlikely. _Maybe I should look into that more later, it might be helpful in the long run for something._

My mind drifted as I stroked Pax's head. Somehow a memory of something I said earlier in the year came to mind during that period of my mind drifting. It was right after I killed the scorpion who tried to ambush me in Central Park when there was still snow on the ground. It attacked on its own and once I killed it I could almost swear I remembered saying something along the lines of, _"Going solo can end badly, after all."_

I felt the need to hit myself on the head for that, almost groaning. That stupid comment made to the gold dust remains that covered the snow... had I jinxed myself on my own, or did the Fates hear that and take matters into their own hands, thinking they could get a good laugh over it? They probably laughed as they plotted this whole thing too.

"So stupid..." I muttered to myself. My memories of what happened later that day were good ones because at school in the morning we presented our projects on an era of the 1900's. Mr. Henry had asked Percy where he got his information from for his project about life in the Dust Bowl in the 1930's. Percy responded with his grandma as the source, but in reality I was the source of his information. He got a nice big face-full of cake later that afternoon for that one.

Our departure from school... I highly doubted we would be allowed to attend a second year there, not after that type of exit. We'd left Sally a big mess to deal with, I just hoped the trick I pulled with the Mist confused Mr. Bonsai enough to lessen the blow.

* * *

During my time on the train I must have fallen asleep at some point because I later woke to an attendant gently tapping my shoulder.

"We are in Miami, Miss. Didn't want you to miss your stop." She said, smiling. I thanked the woman and after checking to make sure Pax was still inside safely, picked up my bag. I carried it protectively through the throngs of people getting off, careful to not jostle Pax too much as I wove through the crowd. Something was itching at the back of my mind, a cold feeling ran through me and a lump grew in my throat as I walked. Something was wrong... I could just feel it the minute I set foot off the train. In my attempt to reach out with the shadows to try and see if there were any monsters nearby I got too much feedback- there were just too many people around to try to distinguish between them. I knew something wasn't right though.

I double checked my bag; Pax was still inside, along with the bit of ambrosia, canteen of water, flashlight, squirt bottle, my last drachma, and Pax's bowl. The pomegranate seeds were still attached to my waistband, Persephone's words echoed through my mind. _Dire need._ I kept cutting glances between the many people around me, carefully watching for any signs of a disturbance. Everything was weirdly normal, which served to make me even more uneasy.

After pushing through the turnstiles and exiting the station I walked us onto the streets of Miami. At this point I chose to outright carry Pax, if something happened and she was stuck in my bag that would not be good. This way she would have a chance to run if worst came to worst, my feeling of unease steadily growing. Chiron was expecting me to I-M him once I got here, he should be in the city by now, or near enough to get here soon. He could bring me to wherever he was staying and we would be able to work things out safely from there.

I pushed myself past pedestrians, determined to find a secluded place to make the call to Chiron, ring twisted nervously around my finger as I walked. Pax could sense something was wrong too, she wasn't trying to lick me or wriggle out of my arms to walk on her own, she just nestled in against me.

My pace had grown quicker since exiting the train station, something could easily be following me, I had to get away from the mortals. Maybe I would be able to shadow travel us out to the suburbs of Miami, give us a little time, but my energy was still too low for that type of thing. I weighed my options, biting my lip as I strode down the street, Pax pulled in tight.

 _Screw the rules._ I entered a pet shop -the closest store that was most likely to not confront me about bringing Pax inside- I didn't have time to fret about if they let pets inside or not. The little bell chimed as I pushed the door open and the air conditioning hit me like a cool wave. Going to the back of the store to find the bathroom so I could fill up the squirt bottle and hopefully make a rainbow to put the call through, I bypassed multiple displays for animal accessories.

My knuckles were white as I gripped the squirt bottle under the stream of running water. Pax was a little ways away sniffing at a pipe. I fumbled with screwing back on the top of the thing and called for her again. She came and I scooped her up, stuffing the bottle away into my bag and left for the main part of the store.

Immediately I knew something was very wrong. The smell had grown worse in the building, not like normal pet supply stores... it was almost like rotting meat. My eyes grew wide, heart beat increasing tenfold. _Don't let it be them... Don't let it be them..._ I cautiously edged my way closer to the front of the store, ducking behind various displays.

There, standing by the bejeweled dog collars scowling at the products was a man. I felt myself go rigid. I had no clue what the lady at the register was seeing, but this man wasn't wearing your average T-shirt and jeans. No, he wore tattered clothes, an animal pelt draped across his broad shoulders. I backed away and clutched Pax tighter. _The pack found me._ I had to get us out of this place.

My mind was in overdrive for the second time that day. _Maybe I can go out the back window in the bathroom... no, that's too high up._ I was hesitant to attempt to shadow travel again, I knew I wouldn't be able to get very far with it and it would leave me useless in a fight. The man spotted me, a twisted smile growing on his lips, gnarled teeth bared. I cursed and booked it for the doors, I had to get away.

Once bursting through the doors I ran for all I was worth, shoving mortals aside, barreling past. There were some indignant shouts left in my wake but I really couldn't care less at the moment. Daring a look behind me my stomach dropped. The lycanthropes were cutting through foot traffic even faster than I was, people shrieking as they broke through the crowds, parting to clear out of the way of the monsters. I didn't care what they were seeing, I just pushed myself to go faster down the street, running into the road, sliding over someone's car hood and wove through traffic.

Pax had this scared look in her eyes as I ran that killed me a bit on the inside, seeing her this scared was painful. I veered off the road, dodging a car as I went, and ran onto the grass of a city park, feet pounding beneath me.

More wolves were appearing around me, growing sickeningly close, surrounding me. The sun was high in the sky, the only shadows around were all small and useless to me for an escape. My heart was in my throat as I leapt over park benches down onto the path and back up again. Barks and howls were coming from all sides now. I tore across the grass, trying to outmaneuver the wolves, changing my direction away from them as they appeared in our path ahead but it was no use. They had managed to coral me into the copse of trees on the East side of the park.

I skidded to as top as a large, horse-sized wolf strolled leisurely out from behind a collection of bushes. My ring was now in my hand and I activated it, silver-and-bronze Cerberus sword growing into existence in my shaking hand. I held the weapon protectively in front of us. To Pax's credit she didn't flinch at the sight of the weapon suddenly appearing not even a foot away. My heart beat was audible. Frantically I looked to all sides, there was no escape. The path filled in around me into a large circle, their beady eyes glittering in victory.

I tore my gaze away from the multitude of wolves around me to see a more human looking Lycaon standing ahead of me, wicked smile on his grubby, taut face.

"Why hello there, Miss. Cooper. Lovely seeing you here." Lycaon spread his arms out in a kind of faux welcoming gesture. My mind was trying to come up with an escape from this situation but it wasn't looking good for us.

"Wish I could say the same." I replied sharply, determined not to show any signs of fear in my voice as I readjusted my grip on my sword and pulled Pax's shaking form in closer.

Lycaon made a kind of _Tsk, Tsk, Tsk_ sound, shaking his head. "We spent quite a while tracking you here, you know. You could at least show a little appreciation for our efforts."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for hunting me down. Burn in Tartarus, mutt." I snarled. Here I was, so close to my goal, then these things had to show their ugly faces. All I wanted to do at this point was to meet up with Chiron and sleep without having to worry about keeping watch for monsters.

Lycaon's face lost its welcoming facade and his arms dropped.

"I wouldn't be throwing around insults, Cooper. You should know that you don't do that if you're in a tight spot."

I actually laughed at this, but it was not a humorous laugh, it was one of disbelief and anger. "Tight spot, that's what you call this? What are you going to do now, bring me to Luke and collect your bounty like a good doggie? Want me to summon a bone for you as a treat?" I had to keep him talking as I thought in vain of an escape route. There was an assortment of growls around me as Lycaon's eyes narrowed. _Okay, maybe that wasn't the best thing to say..._

"We could just as easily rip you limb from limb." Lycaon offered, eye twitching.

"Right," I said, shifting uneasily on my feet."Because you tracked me all this way just to destroy your chances at a collection the bounty to enjoy killing me."

"I would be careful if I were you, girl. Where you will be going, they won't be as welcoming as I am."

My heart was still pounding in my ears, Pax continuously shaking in my arms. I didn't blame her either, if I had the time to worry about it I would be shaking more than I was too, but I was too pumped full of adrenaline to let myself have time to think about how seriously scared I was.

"Chiron is on his way. He will be here any minute with a herd of centaurs." I bluffed, desperately wishing it to be true. Chiron didn't even know I had made it to Miami yet, I was alone in this one. I had to get Pax out of here too, they would shred her. They might have to keep me alive to bring to Luke, but she was expendable. A mere chew toy to them.

Lycaon burst into a harsh, barking laughter. "You think that old centaur will rescue you? You are more delusional than I thought. No, that fossil left Miami two days ago." I felt my eyes grow wider against my will and stomach drop. _No, he's lying. Chiron wouldn't have left without telling me, he's trying to psych me out._

"You're lying." I said as firmly as I could. "Chiron will come and they will tear you and your pack apart if you attack us. He has a load of centaurs behind him that would love to use you as target practice."

"Believe what you want, girl. You won't be getting any help, nor can you talk your way out of this. I know you have been attempting to delay the inevitable, trying to think of an escape. I believe we have all enjoyed watching your pitiful attempts, but I think it is due time we collect our bounty, and enjoy a nice snack." He was grinning at Pax and she whimpered, ducking her head into my chest.

Lycaon raised his hand toward us and simply said, "Collect her."

It was like a bomb went off the moment he said that, a flurry of movement from all sides as wolves leapt into action. I knew what I had to do. In a last desperate attempt I swooped down, making my shadow just big enough to force Pax through.

Kissing Pax one last time on the head before shouting "GO!" I forced her through the shadows and she disappeared. I swung back up, mind switching into all out battle more as I swiped at a wolf diving for my head. The blade made contact but it was on the off swing, so it wasn't fatal. The wolf in question was tossed away and I let my backpack slide down my arm with my movement and drop into my now free hand, swinging it to nail another wolf that was trying to go for my legs.

As our fight went on I realized that the wolves were keeping just out of reach of my sword, toying with me until they went in for their attacks. I ducked, wove, slashed and rolled around their attacks as they came, focus entirely on not getting hit. A bite or scratch from these guys would be painful and easily take me down for the count.

Throughout the onslaught of wolves I was able to kill two but in the mayhem their bodies were forced back by the rest of their pack as they die, the shadows they melted into unreachable. They were taunting me. They weren't going for the kill but attacked just enough to keep me dancing around like a monkey trying not to get hit. They knew as well as I did that there was little hope for me to escape.

Stabbing at one wolf another managed to slam into me from behind as I ducked yet another coming in from the side and I stumbled forward. The force behind the hit was enough to make my head plow into the ground as I went down. I yelped in pain as my head struck and tried to roll with the momentum to come up standing again but fell short.

There was a wrenching in my gut and I flung an arm out. Chunks of dirt broke free of the ground and flew at the wolves, ground beginning to crack around me. I staggered up to my feet in their distraction, spotting a small gap in the wall of fur, teeth, and claws and tried to break through only to scream as something tore through my shoulder. My sword fell from my hand and I clutched my shoulder as I fell. I landed hard and I could feel the jagged tears, blood rapidly escaping past my fingers and staining my shirt and hand. Lycaon was above me, claws outstretched and covered in my own blood, triumphant look on his face.

The pain was so intense, it was like burning acid had been poured onto my shoulder on top of the lacerations. Black spots broke into my vision. I tried to drag myself backward, away from the wolves, but it was futile. The last thing I saw was Lycaon's twisted face staring down at me, then a chorus of howls.

* * *

 **AN:** Sorry/somewhat not sorry! I am really happy to hear that you guys have been enjoying Into the Darkness by the way! Interesting predictions about the pomegranate seeds too ;) I guess Pax is somewhat like Small Bob now that I think of it, to be honest I somewhat forgot about Small Bob, its been a while since I read that book. Also Fallen, I am glad you found this plotline and all not cliche and Ro I am happy that I seemed to get Persephone decently in character too! There seems to have been a bit of a breaking point hit in this chapter for Allison, some resolutions were made as a result though. Anyways, I await your most likely not content reactions to this chapter ending! Have an awesome week everyone and I look forward to next time! -Tash :)


	12. Chapter 12: On My Own

**6/25/16:** Hello! Hope you enjoyed your past week or so. More AN at the bottom. I hope you enjoy this chapter! ( A. Mellark: might just wanna scan over this chap before your daughter reads, this one sways more to the T rating)

* * *

 **Chapter 12: On My Own**

* * *

Looking back, my memories concerning being brought to the docks were hazy ones. I could only remember vague images of the streets, the sound of water and seagulls, and the distant sound of the city. My hands were tied behind my back with rope that dug into my wrists. In total I was pretty sure I was only half-conscious at best for the whole ordeal, white-hot pain blinding me as I was dragged, increasing blood loss not aiding the fact. All of this did not help my shoulder feel any less painful.

There was the faded sounds of waves approaching and I caught a murky glimpse of a large white ship docked nearby. The rough wood of the docks pricked at my legs and I was fairly sure Lycaon didn't care if I was getting a bit more beaten up along the way from being dragged through Miami. Overall though my thoughts weren't clear, these images of my surroundings would appear occasionally past the blackness but it was still indistinct and blurred.

A jolt of pain spiked from my shoulder accompanied by a groan from myself when I landed on the dock. Whoever had been dragging me had tossed me forward. I forced my eyes open to see Lycaon in his human form, the rough shapes of his wolves flanking him to one side, and an all too familiar demigod on my other. Luke was standing there, back to his ship and arms crossed. Two bear-like men were at his sides along with a hellhound, a Cyclops, and finally another girl stood immediately next to him. I blinked hard a few times to clear my vision, which was still muddled. The girl appeared to be about his age, or at least his height, with pale skin and a dark mass of color for her hair. She was looking down at me as she stood there, the barest trace of a smile parting her lips.

"... girl... bounty..." Lycaon spoke to my left. I didn't actually catch what Luke said in response but the girl crouched down beside me and I could feel her eyes scanning me, scrutinizing.

The hellhound had been having fun tearing apart something during this meeting, by the looks of it, my backpack. That was put to an end when there was a sudden burst of flames and the hound was incinerated. Part of my mind made the connection to the ambrosia I had left inside the bag. The hound probably ingested it, causing it to go up in flames. Nobody seemed too perturbed by the hellhound being incinerated, least of all the girl. On the contrary, she seemed to be smirking at the vibrant display of flames.

She turned back to me. "... half-dead..." Was all I caught from what she said. She prodded my shoulder. A cold hand then took my chin and tilted my head up for her to get a better view. I flinched and tried to pull away from her touch but I was really only able to move so much.

"... already in Miami... didn't need... ourselves." She said, glaring at Lycaon.

Lycaon didn't seem to like whatever she said. "... back out... reward..." He was growling, a sound which was amplified by his pack doing the same around him. The girl released my chin, my head falling back to where it had been, and stood with her arms crossed.

I feel like I must have zoned out briefly, or something along those lines, because the next thing I registered was the sounds of a fight breaking out. It was chaos. Lycaon and his wolves were trying to attack Luke's crew, who were fighting back and arrows were raining down from above out of nowhere. Suddenly among the havoc something was tossed in my general direction from the fight... or someone- still wasn't able to tell. Whatever it was bounced off the dock and careened into me. The next thing I knew I myself was falling, a sudden rush of cold encompassing me. Water surged around me and when it made contact with my shoulder the pain flared again.

My mouth had opened in response to the pain but in place of air, water filled it instead. When my eyes flashed open in a panic I could only see the cloudy darkness of the water, saltwater burning my eyes. Sunlight was above me but it was becoming marred with a growing cloud of red. I tried to kick to swim toward the sunlight, desperate for air, but it hurt to do so and my hands were useless in my plight. Struggling against the ropes I sunk deeper and deeper into the water, gasping for air that never came. I watched as the bubbles containing the last remains of my breath floated away above me.

 _Help me, don't let me drown Uncle-_ My vision was rapidly disappearing and my lungs burned for air. I sent out one last desperate prayer to Percy's father before I heard a splash and I lost consciousness.

* * *

Something was dripping on my face, it was a steady rhythm of drops, wet and persistent. Slowly I started becoming more aware of just how cold it was and I found myself wondering how it could be this cold. The drops continued to keep landing on my temple. I tried to brush them away from my face but when I went to move my hand I found that I couldn't. What I also became aware of through this act was the burning in my shoulder. Feeling lightheaded wasn't nearly as scary as the noticeable drop I felt in my energy, which was hauntingly similar to what I was feeling when I was saying goodbye to Nick, although not as extreme. Nonetheless, being able to acutely feel your life-force weakened was not pleasant.

Shifting I tried to get my hands free of whatever was preventing them from moving freely, biting my lip as the acidic feeling in my shoulder only grew upon more movement. Finally, cautiously, I opened my eyes. I had no clue where I was.

My first impression of the room I was in was that it was dark, cold, and not a proper room. In actuality it reminded me more of a boiler room. I gently tilted my head to the side to peer at my shoulder and what I saw almost made me empty my stomach. My shoulder was torn, dried blood staining the majority of my shirt. Four jagged lines cut through my shoulder like claw marks, and they appeared to be roughly stitched up too. _Why would someone stitch them like that?_

Then it all came back to me: Lycaon, Luke, Miami, the Fleece. _That_ was why it felt like acid was seeping into my shoulder- werewolf injuries were known to hurt like all heck and take a long time to heal over. Whoever did the patch job didn't seem to care, apparently doing it only decently enough to make sure I didn't bleed out on them given the looks of things. From just one look at it I knew I would have scars from this.

"So, Sleeping Beauty finally wakes." A vaguely familiar female voice said from a little ways away. I felt myself go rigid and looked around for the source, blinking to clear my vision. There, sitting on a crate about ten feet away was a girl, the same girl from the docks. Now that I was getting a better look at her I could confirm that she looked seventeen, maybe eighteen. Her hair was long and black, eyes reflecting the same color. _Black eyes..._ I had seen those eyes before in my dreams, and just like in my dreams they were just as cold and menacing in the waking world, eyeing me like I was a particularly interesting piece of prey. The girl was doing something with her hands too as she sat there- tossing something small and silver up into the air and catching it again as it came back down. A long silver knife was at her side.

"We weren't sure if you'd wake up." She continued, then gave a humorless laugh. "We expected you to be brought in a bit beat up, sure. But Dang! You really let the ball drop, didn't you?"

I slowly shifted myself into a seated position, eyeing the girl wearily. Without giving anything away I felt my fingers behind my back, searching for my ring. My bracelets were covered up by the rope so I had hopes that I could access it, but I only found it absent. Suspicious, my eyes traced back to the girl and what she was tossing up and down. I had to resist cursing out loud. That _was_ my ring.

"Looking for this?" She playing with the ring for a moment to hold it in clear view for me. "Kind of ugly if you ask me. I mean, Cerberus? Really? Then again, maybe he is more like a pet for you or something." Her lip was curled up in clear distaste as she said this. I froze at her statement. _Does this mean Kronos told them who my father is?_ That had been the only thing I really had going for me up to this point, but now that could very well be out the window.

The girl studied me for a moment, almost curiously. "What, did you get a brain injury or something? Or are you just naturally slow?"

I gritted my teeth. "Who are you?" My voice was raw from disuse. Subtly I tried to test the limitations of the rope that confined my wrists but they were snug, barely giving me any room to move around in them. Had I been awake when it was put there I might have been able to give myself some leeway, but I hadn't been.

"Ah, so it can speak! In case you didn't piece it together yet, I'm the one in charge of you while you are visiting us here on the Princess Andromeda. You can call me Fulvia, but don't expect a luxury suite or an all-you-can-eat buffet." The way she said 'visiting' was not comforting.

Someone must have been a Latin enthusiast to name their child Fulvia, it was an uncommon name, especially in the twenty-first century. Albeit I would imagine not as uncommon in demigods, to be fair. I wasn't sure personally if I would want to be potentially named after the Fulvia from the Late Roman era. I was also pretty sure the name Fulvia was associated with yellow or blonde too, yet she clearly had black hair.

"Your name is Fulvia?" I questioned.

Fulvia's eyes narrowed. "Got a problem with it, _Ally?_ "

"No, I just thought the person who named you would try to make your name more accurate, since they clearly like Latin. You don't appear very blonde to me." This girl I could tell would cause problems for me. She obviously seemed to strongly dislike me, despite never us never having spoken or met before this. Plus, I wasn't very fond of her comment earlier, or of her calling me Ally. That name was reserved for only certain people.

She stared at me, black eyes making it seem even more threatening. Fulvia then stood, collected the knife that lay next to her, and pocketed my ring. She stalked over to me, stopping before me and glared down. I raised my head to meet her gaze- I was not backing down even if I felt like I could seriously use some ambrosia. Plus, children of Hades were supposed to be the masters of the death glare, it was kind of in our unofficial job description.

"Now listen here, brat. I don't like you. If it were up to me I would rather have you dead and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic or be a nice snack for the drakon, but we need information. That, and you might be useful bait for your little camp friends. Nothing like a friend at the end of a blade to motivate someone, eh? So, we can do this the easy way," A sick smile grew on her face."Or the hard way."

I studied her without moving my eyes from our stare down. _Nothing like a friend at the end of a blade to motivate someone._ There went any chances of redemption for her in my book. Clearly she knew what she was saying with that comment just to get further under my skin. "You can try, but I won't be telling you a thing."

The smile on her face broadened, as if she had been hoping for that answer, and cracked her knuckles. "Your funeral."

Before I could swing my legs to block it a steel-toed combat boot slammed into my gut. The breath was forced out of me and I landed on my side after sliding into the wall behind me. Fulvia stalked forward with purposeful strides. I tried to sit up but when the boot came again I lay there wheezing for a moment. My stomach felt like someone had dropped a bowling ball on it. I coughed and tasted blood. _Great, just what I needed._

Trying to sit up was useless once she pressed her boot down onto my shoulder, pinning me to the floor with the added bonus of grinding the lacerations into the hard ground. It was difficult to not give any indication of how much it hurt as the already acidic cuts burned even more. The longer she pressed I could feel the telltale start of blood starting to arise again from them.

"Think we're all tough, don't we? Big bad child of the Underworld. Let's see how long that lasts."

I turned my head up to glare at her and had a feeling that if I wasn't so drained the shadows would be reacting more. "I'm not the one... beating up a thirteen-year-old... who has her hands tied."

Getting the air back into me was tough enough but that comment only earned me another solid kick to the ribs. As I had Fulvia's attention focused on me I was just waiting for the moment my ring would return to me, but I didn't know how long that would take. I coughed for breath again, clearing the blood from my mouth, I swung my legs around to swipe her off her feet but she easily stepped back in time to avoid their path, returning a moment later to pull me up so I was standing eye to eye with her.

Fulvia said something that I didn't catch- I was too busy struggling to get air through to my lungs, her hand was cutting off its pathway as she pushed me against the wall. Kicking to get someone off you was difficult enough with your hands restrained, and when you're being held up by practically your throat alone you had to do your best to keep yourself calm.

"But then again, you're no normal thirteen-year-old now are you?" She was saying. I was getting desperate the longer she had me pinned, desperate enough to go so far as to spit the blood in my mouth at her. I yanked in my knees when she recoiled and managed to kick her in the stomach. She stumbled back and I landed hard on my butt. Fulvia recovered quickly though and after dodging another kick from me landed a punch to my face, saying something about brats. I froze my fighting when she held her knife to me. The brief reprieve I got when I kicked her to drag in air didn't take me far once her hand found my throat again. My vision was starting to get blurry and I felt myself starting to black out, her hand getting tighter. She was _mad_.

Just when I felt like I was about to go her grip vanished and I crumpled, gasping for much needed oxygen. Fulvia barked something to someone out of sight before I was pulled over to one of the columns supporting the ceiling. I caught sight of another figure in what must have been a stairwell behind a set of doors that lead to another level of the ship. I was unable to tell who it was though.

"You got lucky. I am needed elsewhere at the moment. We can resume this chat later, and I suggest getting ready to tell me all about what I need to know, understand?" She patted my cheek where she landed the punch earlier in a mocking way. Her face was right near mine as she tied me to the column- most likely so I couldn't try anything in her absence. I half debated what head-butting her would result in, but instead I just met her eyes and gave her a sarcastic grin that would have made Percy proud. She shoved my shoulder against the column as she stood, that acidic like feeling flaring up again. After one last parting threat I was left along in the dark room.

I waited, and once I was sure she was gone I rested my head against the column behind me, letting out a breath. At least where I was now wasn't directly under a dripping pipe. Damn could that girl throw a punch, the boots were _so_ cheating though. My gut was still feeling the effects of those boots along with the pain in my shoulder and head.

It was clear to me that this girl Fulvia was not a cuddly person- working with Luke was a good indication to that -but some of her comments though... she really seemed to have it out for me. I shook my head, I could think about that later. If I stayed here any longer I was screwed, who knew when that demon would be back? Being interrogated by her again wasn't on my list of things I wanted to do.

An idea struck me and I shifted my weight, bringing my foot around closer to my hands. They had a little wiggle room from the ropes going around the column, but it would be a tight fit and probably make my shoulder more agitated from getting twisted awkwardly. This needed to be done if I wanted to get out though.

Slowly I was able to untie my right shoe and slip it off far enough to grasp the arrowhead hidden within.

"Thanks, Lyn. I owe you one." I whispered and started sawing away at the ropes. The cold room was slowly beginning to eat at me but it did at least keep me from sweating. Then again, if I _really_ needed to, I could use that sweat to slip my hands out of the ropes. Wasn't like I hadn't done that before.

When the bonds holding my wrists fell away I let out a quiet whoop of victory, quickly unraveling them from around me. I was back in the game now. The moment I was able to reach my bracelet I activated it, angling it just so. My knife grew into existence up into the ropes keeping me near the column. Within thirty seconds all the ropes were on the floor and I was free to move around.

Surprisingly I was kind of thankful to Persephone for mentioning the changing-the-form-of-my-knife thing. Fulvia clearly knew my ring had something special about it, and a necklace that had _Camp Half-Blood_ engraved on it would have raised some eyebrows. I wanted my ring back though.

My shoe was now securely back on my foot, arrowhead in tow, the ropes kicked away so I could pull myself up to stand. I had to give myself a brief moment to gather my balance, but it was still progress. Part one of my grand escape plan was complete, now to enact part two. Using some of the leftover rope to make a sling for myself to keep my arm and shoulder steady crossed my mind, but it would just cost more time that I couldn't afford and limit my movements even more. As it was I was fighting decently injured.

Despite my limited time I did take a moment to get a closer look at my shoulder, as that was easily the worst of my injuries. Frankly I didn't care too much about the scratches from being dragged through Miami, and the other stuff would go away. My ribs were definitely bruised but my shoulder would stick with me for a while and inhibit me majorly. One decent look at my shoulder was all the confirmation I needed to prove that the stitches holding the claw marks were done by a sloppy hand... or by someone who just didn't care and only did the bare minimum. I would have to find a better fix for that once I was out, the longer it sat without attention the longer it would take to heal. _Well, there goes your shirt, Persephone. Sorry._ The shirt she poofed onto me was very much ruined by now, I wouldn't be able to repair it nor did I feel a strong drive to try to salvage it.

Metal doors were situated before the stairs. Ear pressed against those door I held my breath and listened for any signs of movement. _Right, nobody outside. Might be up the stairwell though, I have to do this carefully._ Switching my knife to my other hand I reached up to pull out the bobby pin I used on the bookstore in Jacksonville from my ponytail, then set to work on the lock. It took a few tries but soon I heard the telltale click and smiled. _Phase two complete._

The thought of just shadow traveling out was a tempting one, but I could tell just from my energy that doing so would be dangerous. I was low on juice and injured, if I landed wrong or ended up in the water I would be toast. I wasn't even sure if we were still by land. There was a possibility of not being able to control the jump either, but then again, if I could see where I was going that might lower the risk. It was decided, I would sneak up onto the upper levels of the ship and go from there.

Door opening slowly I spotted a figure at the top of the stairwell, just like I had been worried there might be. Taking a deep breath I put away the pin and switched my knife back into my unhindered hand. _Stealth mode time._ I had enough energy to pull some cover for myself from the shadows of the stairwell and I gradually edged my way up along the wall.

The figure at the top looked to be a dracaena wearing a chest plate and she seemed to be holding a spear in her hand, knife sheathed on her would-be waist. _What is it with dracaenae and spears?_ I shook that thought from my head as I crept up behind her, I didn't even dare to breathe.

Just when she started to turn, sensing or smelling me behind her, I wrapped my hand over her mouth and pulled her back. Her spear fell away and I used my knife to silently turn her to dust, snatching the spear out of the air before it could clatter down the stairs. Frozen I took a deep breath and listened for anyone who may have heard the disturbance, tucking my arm back against my side to ease my shoulder. All was quiet.

With my new spear in hand, knife in the other, I started down the hallway. Apparently the crew of the Princess Andromeda didn't think I was very capable of escaping, there weren't too many monsters around the corridors, but I knew I didn't want to be cornered down here. I was able to silently make it up two floors undetected before I hit a problem. A hellhound had just ambled around the corner. Had it been any other monsters I wouldn't have hesitated like I did, but upon seeing it I was sorely reminded of Pax. I wondered how, or where, she was. It had really taken some juice to jumpstart her shadow travel escape with Lycaon but she should have been able to get a good, safe distance away. I gritted my teeth. _This is not Pax, this one will try to kill you, not lick your face._

Either way I was forced to react once it caught my scent, turning and letting out an echoing howl that was bound to alert everyone even remotely nearby.

I cursed and threw the spear to clear the distance, doing my best to ignore the jolt it gave me and activated my sword. The hound jumped out of the path of the flying spear and bounded toward me with a snarl. Its howl had definitely alerted others because I could hear the sounds of multiple beings coming closer, accompanied by several shouts. The jig was up.

Ducking and sidestepping the hound when it pounced I slashed my sword into its underbelly. The infernal metal made solid contact and it let out a pitiful sound, crashing to the ground and slowly melting into a puddle of shadow. I saw my chance and took it- leaping into the shadow and forcing myself as far away as I could from being cornered in the corridors, sounds of monsters swarming in from all around. Far away didn't turn out to be very far.

I crashed through the shadow of the pool's bar station and landed hard on the deck. The sun was high up above me, I was on the top level of the ship. I knew I needed to get out fast, I only had enough energy for _maybe_ one more jump before I crashed. I hadn't wanted to get stuck in the corridors, at least up here I had more maneuverability. Hopefully the direction I chose to run in was the way to the lifeboats, or preferably the exit. One thing going for me was that we were still docked in Miami- I could easily see the city from my location on the ship. What didn't help were all the monsters and demigods patrolling the deck, and once the first one saw me shouts sounded and all eyes were on me.

I sprinted and took a flying leap over a deck chair from the split-level above and slid down the railing, continuing running the second my feet hit the floor. None of this was helping my shoulder but it would only get worse if I stayed- if I could find Chiron he could surely patch me up.

Just as I finally spotted my beacon of hope- a lifeboat -someone tackled me from behind and I came crashing down onto the deck with a grunt. When my shoulder made contact I actually let out a yelp of pain and my sword fell away from my grip.

The demigod who tackled me was much bigger than I and wore armor. My mind flew to the close combat practices I used to have and my heel found the bottom of the kid's back, just under their chest plate. He grunted and I used all my strength to carry the momentum through into a roll and switch our positions. He fought it but I was able to hit him in the head with the hilt of my knife, successfully knocking him out before he could get the upper hand again.

I snatched up my sword and took off running again but during the time spent dealing with that demigod I was being surrounded. Monsters and demigods were coming in from all sides, just like what happened with the wolves. I tried to cut a path through them but finally skidded to a stop, wall of monsters ahead of me, to the sides, and behind.

"Well, look what we have here." A cold voice said from behind me. I spun around, weapons raised and ready to protect myself. Fulvia and Luke were casually walking down from an upper deck, crowd parting for them. _Fudge._

"I told you she would try to test us, just like her little camp friends." Fulvia stated calmly to Luke, watching me with clear amusement. _What kind of sick person enjoys something like this?_

"You know what I said about them." He told her, then looked to me with a twisted grin. "Cooper, welcome to my humble abode."

After seeing that there was no clear way out I narrowed my eyes and addressed him. "Luke, lovely seeing you here. Long time no see, how's the shoulder?" I needed to keep him distracted until I could figure out a plan. Luke raised an eyebrow.

"Fine. And your parting gift?" He reached into a sheath at his belt and pulled out an all too familiar knife. It was the very same knife I landed in his shoulder at the end of last summer when he was trying to kill Percy. I swallowed, this was not good. Not good at all. "I kept it for just such an occasion, actually."

Fulvia' smile actually send a shiver down my spine as she strolled forward and pulled out her own knife. I was just able to make out a small bump protruding from her pocket and I knew my ring was in there. If she thought she was going to be keeping it easily then she had another thing coming.

She halted a few feet in front of me and casually inspected her knife. "So, you think you can get out, huh? Pull the wool over our eyes? Thanks by the way- I had a feeling you would try something like this. It's been quite amusing to watch, actually." She stopped inspecting her knife and took a step forward. "Let's have a show, shall we?" Fulvia snapped her fingers and the foggy image of a fire spread in a circle around us, creating a kind of ring between us and the blockade of Luke's minions. This fire didn't appear to be normal fire though, otherwise it would have been burning through the wood flooring. _Did she just use the Mist to do that?_

"Ah, I see you are appreciative of my little trick. How sweet." She twirled her knife and came closer. I found myself circling back to keep as much distance between us as possible. Just from her stance and the ease of which she handled her knife I knew she was experienced with it. "One of the perks of being a child of Hecate... along with some other _special_ talents of mine."

"Fulvia, enough. End it already, we have stuff to do." Luke called, bored from outside the ring of fire.

Fulvia scowled at him and shrugged. Then, quick as a viper, she launched herself at me and it was all I could do to try to step out of the way in time. Her knife grazed my arm and it soon became a game of simply trying not to get hit. All my focus was now in this fight. I could hear the seemingly far off sounds of something that sounded like laughter, maybe from the enemy demigods or some other thing enjoying the show. Twice throughout our fighting more than one Fulvia appeared to distract me and I had to swipe through the Mist images of her to avoid getting hit. It was clear she knew how to use her magic as a child of Hecate, and it just made fighting her even more difficult

When I swiped my sword through the last of the fake Fulvias the second time around, the real Fulvia suddenly kicked my sword and it flew from my hand. I was down to just my knife for now until my sword returned. I quickly switched it into my other hand and kept my other arm in close to my side to prevent breaking the stitches on my shoulder, and to make a smaller target of myself.

A few close calls and a jab at my bruised ribs later I was able to get a good slash in on her arm and she recoiled. She looked from her arm to my knife in disbelief, then anger, her face murderous. I gulped, I had just poked the bear. Fulvia spun and a combat boot slammed into my stomach again. I was knocked to the ground, air yet again escaped me because _dang_ could she deliver a powerful kick.

Fulvia approached, closing the short distance between us and pressed her boot down onto my wrist to stop me from using my knife and crouched. I stared up at her defiantly, breathing hard and head spinning slightly. She was easily one of the quickest fighters I had seen, let alone fought in a long, long time.

"So, you want to play that game, huh?" She hissed, knife resting against my neck again, cold metal chilling my throat. She then did something unexpected: she moved her hand and pressed her fingers to my forehead, whispering something under her breath.

Instantaneously it felt like white-hot fire spread through me, every nerve of my body set aflame. All I knew was pain. I wasn't sure how long it lasted, but when it finally disappeared my throat was raw and Fulvia's hand was off my head. I was sucking in air and black spots were clouding my vision. I looked up at her in a daze, the lingering effects of whatever she did to me fading, but slowly. Fulvia smiled down at me and stood.

"Take her back down." She called, snapping her fingers and the glow from the flame circle disappeared from the corner of my eye. Fulvia then looked back down at me. "We have some work to do." A combat boot struck the side of my head and I was out for the count.

* * *

 **AN:** So I will admit the past week or so has been a bit difficult, hence this chapter coming out later than I wanted it to be. Also, I've been wanting to ask this for a few chapters now but always forgot when it came time for the AN: _What has been your favorite chapter so far, and possibly why? _ I also apologize if I might have not seen some of your reviews- for some reason I haven't been getting emails for all of them :/ Well, let me know what you think of Fulvia, I know I have my own views on her, hah. There is more than meets the eye though. Anyways, enjoy your week! Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13: Know your Enemy

**7/5/16:** Hello all, hope you've had a nice week/weekend (or holiday weekend for those in the US). This chapter was longer than expected (7k+), but to make up for recent latenesses I've included a clip from the past in the form of a dream of Allison and Nick, so enjoy! ( _For younger readers you might want to read the chapter first/censor it as it is a more mature reader chapter again )_

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Know your Enemy**

* * *

Upon waking up I was unsure as to how much time had passed since my failed escape attempt, but I knew I was back in the room again. My muscles felt sore and throat raw, and my shoulder was still incessantly burning. After a weary look around I was slightly comforted to know that I was alone this time. Immediately I went and checked what was keeping my wrists restrained, expecting it to be rope again that I could escape from, but once I realized what it was my heart dropped. Any hopes of pulling the same stunt again to escape was lost. Not only were there ropes that made access to my bracelets impossible, there were handcuffs that looked to be made of celestial bronze. Those specifically were attached to a column a little ways away. My ring was absent as well.

My heart pounded faster as my breaths became shorter in my panic, fighting against the cuffs and cursing up a storm. I knew I was seriously in trouble with these now in play. _No, this can't be happening- not again._ In my head I kept seeing Italy in '43- the last time something like this happened. The only difference now was that they didn't put me in these first because they knew I couldn't shadow travel out with it tethering me, even if I had the energy. The memory of Antonio explaining it to me back then with that stupid smile of his made me scowl.

Desperately I yanked at the cuffs again, the cool metal was digging into my wrists while my mind was going a million miles-per-hour. What really got to me was one sickening thought: _Thirteen_. The cuffs just made the connection more apparent to when I was thirteen the first time around. It was the same time of year to that I was stuck in a situation like this, but I was alone this time. I ground my teeth. _Is this kind of joke to the Fates?_ It was seriously feeling like the case more and more as my journey progressed.

Just before I could try to get to the pin hidden in my hair to pick the lock on the cuffs the stairwell opened and four figures appeared. Two of the figures belonged to the massive bear-men bodyguards Luke toted around and upon an order from him they stayed positioned outside the door in the stairwell. He and Fulvia then entered, closing and locking the door behind them. My body had gone rigid, only bad things would happen with them here.

Fulvia flicked on the lights, the incandescent lights above creating a dreary atmosphere. I had to blink a few times to get used to the new brightness of the room.

"Ah, good! You're awake." Fulvia said. "Took you damn long enough."

Heat rose in my chest as my eyes narrowed. "Yeah, well being kicked in the head with a steel-toed combat boot might do that to a person." I bit back, voice raspy. I could do with some water but I figured that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

Luke snorted while Fulvia just shrugged indifferently and proceeded to walk over. Luke hung back by the crate Fulvia had been sitting on when I first met her, taking a seat there himself and leaning back- almost like he was getting ready for a show. _Not comforting whatsoever._

Fulvia clasped her hands together almost mockingly once she was a few feet away. "So, let's cut to the chase. It's time for a little Q&A, brat. Just a tip: If you know what's good for you, you will tell us all we want to know. That way I won't have to get it out of you- though I wouldn't mind it either way." She said with a smile. My eyes cut over to Luke. He was still just lounging on the crate, as if he was just babysitting. My eyes went back to Fulvia, who was pacing slowly back and forth, her long silver knife casually in hand.

"Now," She said, using her knife to punctuate her words similarly to a person commonly doing so with their hands. "What I don't get here is just how you did it. I think we would all like to know, really."

That question caught me slightly off guard. I had been expecting her to ask me something about camp or the Fleece. "Do what?" I asked, watching the knife in her hand. Fulvia's question could really mean anything from me escaping to how I evaded Lycaon for so long.

Fulvia stopped walking and turned to me sharply. "Don't play stupid, even though that is probably very easy for you. You know what I am talking about. You cheated death. What, did Daddy decide to just bend all the rules for his little girl to give her another chance to botch up her life?" I felt my hands clench.

"So," She continued, going back to pacing. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the natural order of things, you die and you _stay_ in the Underworld unless you choose to be reborn. Of course, it is only three chances for that one, and you are a different person each time. No memories of your past self." I didn't like where this was going, especially if she expected me to answer questions that I had already been asking _myself_ about this whole 'new life' deal. Last summer Dad made it clear that he wasn't behind it. Given the fruit stand incident we had reason to believe that it was the Fates who pulled something to bring me back and put me here.

"My question to you is: What makes you so special that you can cheat death and come back just like that." She snapped her fingers, stopped in front of me waiting for an answer.

No matter what answer I gave I knew she wouldn't like it. I bit the inside of my lip and finally shook my head. "Believe me, I didn't want this nor did I try to make it happen... it just did."

That, of course, was considered the wrong answer. "Liar! You made it happen and I intend to find out how."

"You think I actually wanted this? To be torn from my life with no warning and thrust into the world half a century later with no explanation?" I questioned in frustration. "What does it even matter to you?"

Fulvia got this dangerous look in her dark eyes as she approached me. "What does it matter to me? How about I tell you a little story, then see if you can piece it together."

She stopped just short of my reach. "Picture a little six-year-old girl, sweet and harmless. Now picture her being hunted down and torn apart by _hellhounds_ as her older sister had to watch, unable to do a thing to help." She spat, voice tremulous from holding back clear anger. "That sister was _me._ So do you understand why I despise things like you? Abominations of the Underworld, just like the things that tore Aquila apart while she called out to me to help her when I could do _nothing._ So, how could someone like _you_ get away with cheating death while a child like her is cursed to stay in the Underworld for all eternity?"

I pursed my lips. That information was starting to have her make sense... no wonder she hated all things to do with the Underworld, even if Hecate could be considered a goddess of the Underworld herself. Something like that could wreck a person, but I had nothing to do with her sister's death. There was nothing I could do in terms of bringing her back either.

"Look, I'm sorry about your sister, truly, but things like that happen as horrible as they are. Believe me, I-" There was a sudden powerful impact and the air from my lungs was forced out, toppling me over. I wheezed, trying to get my breath back, but it hurt to do so. That kick definitely had more power behind it than the others and I could swear I felt something crack. Fulvia was standing over me with eyes filled with rage.

" _Things like that happen?_ " She asked incredulously. "You're _sorry_? I have a hard time believing that, Cooper. Your kind are all the same- you thrive off the deaths of others." She had crouched and was peering down at me with fire in her eyes. "You will tell me how to bring a soul back from the Underworld, and if need be you will be a bargaining chip."

She was officially blinded and although I could understand her in a way, there was no way to bring someone back from the Underworld. The only person who got close was Orpheus and even he failed.

Fulvia's last kick made it almost painful to breathe. "Fulvia, there isn't a way to bring someone back. If there was, don't you think someone would have done it by now?" I shook my head. "As for your bargaining chip idea... that won't pan out well for you. You will just gain one majorly pissed off Big Three god who can put you in eternal damnation the second you die from trying it. Believe me, it's happened." I was distinctly reminded of what Dad had implied about Chester's fate, how he was in the fields. He couldn't show favoritism, but in extreme cases I think he showed a bit of bias.

As expected, Fulvia was not happy with my answer. "Oh yeah? Well we have the King of the Titans backing us. None of those gods will last long once we tear Olympus down." She paused, then seemed to come up with an alternate route of interrogation after sharing a glance with Luke.

"How about this: The closest entrance to the Underworld. Where is it and how do you pass through it?" Fulvia didn't look like she was going to take any crap. I was correct in my earlier assumption- this was only going to end painfully. I shuddered slightly at the memory of what she did on the top deck, how she only had to press her fingers to my head and say a word and every nerve in my body would feel like it was on fire. I had to get word to Chiron as soon as possible... hopefully he would already know the situation and be working on a rescue. None of the prospects looked good, especially now with the addition of the celestial bronze blocking me.

"Do you just expect me to automatically know all the local hotspots to the Underworld like an encyclopedia? All of them just ingrained in my mind magically from birth so that I can just pick them out at will? The entrance is west, like it always is. From there have fun working out the rest." How she expected me to just inherently know the nearest entrance was beyond me. Sure there were small cracks that led down, but it's not like I knew all of their locations just because I was a child of Hades.

"You think you're funny, huh? 'West', sure." She grabbed the collar of my shirt and roughly pulled me up, looking down at me just inches away. I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from giving any indication that the movement brought pain. "Okay, let's try something else then. Cerberus - how do you get past him?"

Red rubber ball _._.. they didn't need to know that though. I pulled a face. "Seriously? You would be a chew toy by the time you could actually see him. Heck, you wouldn't even get that far. You would have to find the freaking place and get past the Styx first."

She took a breath as if to calm herself. "Okay then, the Styx. Tell us about that."

"What about it? It's a river. You fall in and you're gone... _poof._ Dead. No afterlife for you. That's common knowledge though. In all respects, since you think I would know all the Underworld hotspots just because of my Dad, you should know them as well. Hecate can be considered a goddess of the Underworld too you know." I said without thinking.

Fulvia's nostrils flared and she shoved me against the wall, arm pushed against my throat painfully. The next thing I knew her fingers were pressed against my head and all I felt was pain. I tried to fight it- trying to will it away or just do anything to stop it. It felt like I was being burned alive from the inside out. I didn't know how much of it I could take, already it felt like forever and a half to me. I just knew I needed to make it stop. My powers were reacting to my distress, the shadows trying to respond. With a wrenching in my gut I let loose.

I heard Fulvia's shout past my own and when she removed her fingers she let me drop to the ground, the pain started to slowly ebb away. It was like an ache that didn't go away, every muscle in my body felt like it had been burned and was still in the process of healing. As I caught my breath my throat felt even more raw. I was shaking, I realized. Maybe from the aftershock, I didn't know, but I did know that something like what Fulvia did couldn't be good for a person, especially in extended periods of time.

Blood was welling past Fulvia's hand as she held it to her cheek and when I looked up at her I realized what I had done. It was only something I had managed twice before, but it was all I had at that moment, even if it drained me. I had actually managed to solidify the shadows just enough to lash out at her and thank the gods it made her pull away. I wasn't sure how much more of that I could have taken.

Fulvia on her part looked affronted by my audacity to lash out like that. She seemed just about ready to leap forward but was halted. Luke was standing next to her now, hand retracting from its former place on her shoulder.

"Reeves, not for that long." He was saying. "It might kill her. Remember, we still need her. Save it for later. The dreams-"

My head had lolled back against the wall behind me as I looked up at their slightly blurry forms, muttering curses at them. I figured neither knew Italian so it was free game for me to curse them out in without them knowing exactly what I was saying, which I was thoroughly enjoying until I got a boot to my stomach... again.

"Shut it." Fulvia shot down at me. I groaned and swore to myself that if I ever got the chance I would burn those boots. That, or better yet throw them in the Phlegethon first chance I got, possibly with her still in them.

Now, I'm not entirely sure what compelled me to say it. Maybe it was just me trying to get a minor win against them in my dismal situation, or just to get at her to show that she wasn't all she thought she was while my brain was still fuzzy from the pain.

"You know, you're not too good at this whole 'getting information from a captive' thing. My brother was a lot better." I smirked slightly at my remark, still dazed. At this point Antonio had gotten more information from me than just me prattling on about useless information.

This comment made them both look down at me. "Oh really? And who is this brother you speak or, someone else we can talk to?"

I actually snorted at this, which wasn't comfortable. Fulvia didn't appear to like that reaction- she pulled me up again so my back was to the wall and her knife was threateningly close, eyebrow raised.

"He is long dead, idiots." I said before they could do anything. "He died in forty-three."

Fulvia studied me for a moment, she still had hatred in her eyes when she looked at me. Her mouth then twisted up into a smile."So, just you left then, huh? The sole spawn. Let me guess, Daddy finally realize that you things were more trouble than you're worth once he brought you back? Less of you for me to get rid of in any case."

I shook my head, ignoring her comment. Let her think what she wanted for now, I was tired of arguing about that. "Pact of the Big Three, you should know that given who you work for. He's the only one who hasn't broken it, I'm just an anomaly." Swallowing I tried to pull my head back further from the blade's edge. "As I said, it wasn't my choice to be here nor was I eager to get killed, but things don't always pan out the way you were expecting them to. Take you for example: I'm assuming you and your little sister bounced around a lot, maybe an absent mortal father, so it was just the two of you- you were very close. You were the protective big sister, that is until the hellhounds. And now you are just trying to 'fix' what happened." I gave a small shrug as her grip tightened around my shoulder, telling me that I had hit the mark.

"I'm sure you never expected to go solo then join up with the Titans. It probably wasn't in Luke's original plans to poison his former best friend's tree, either. The last shreds of her life that she gave up to save you, poisoned." I was looking at Luke now, eyes narrowed. "That right there is what I call spitting on her memory."

Ever since I found out what he did to Thalia's tree, or had done to it, it had really bothered me. He was basically gunning to kill the last threads that remained of his old friend's life. That wasn't honoring her memory and if someone did that to me I would be thoroughly ticked off.

What I said seemed to get to Luke because he pushed a slightly angrier than before Fulvia aside and pressed his hands against my shoulders, pinning me back to the wall.

"Don't you dare speak of Thalia! Olympus let her die- _your_ father had her hunted down like an animal. He is the reason she is dead, you're no different from him. I am doing this so nothing like that ever happens again. Kronos will get rid of the Olympians and start a new age, a better one." He glared down at me, trembling with rage as he spoke.

"You want to know the difference between you and me?" I practically growled, actually putting more force behind my voice than I had been prior. "I gave my life for my best friend, you are stepping on the memory of yours who gave her life for you- both of them children of Zeus! Nick never tried to tear Olympus down on my behalf, he moved on with his life and made the best of the chance I gave him. What are you doing with yours, Castellan?" The shadows were itching for activity around me as I glared up at him. I knew that much of what I had said was true, about what happened to Nick after I was gone. He never tried to pull anything like what Luke was doing- a crazy crusade for vengeance. He was twisting Thalia's memory for his own purpose, making her into a martyr for his own justification.

Luke's face twisted and faster than I could react to he had pulled out the knife sheathed at his waist and rammed it into my shoulder. It was the same shoulder I had lodged that knife in for him last summer, and the one Lycaon got to. A new fiery pain had erupted in my shoulder. I heard Fulvia shout Luke's name, yanking him back and letting me finally fall with the knife still in my shoulder. Immediately I could feel the telltale sign of blood welling up and soaking my already ruined shirt. My heartbeat grew painfully fast as I lay there, doing my best not to pass out. It was as if something was reaching its way from the wound further into me, almost like poison... or venom.

Fulvia was busy restraining Luke- she had to actually physically use her body to block him from getting to me, saying something over and over again about needing me alive.

"Damn it, Castellan, I had it covered! You just had to poison the knife, didn't you? I told you that could be done later, _after_ we have the Fleece! Now it will be near impossible to get information out of her- she'll be too drugged out from it thanks to you. _You_ were the one with the dreams, it will be on your head. I swear if you-"

My head was beginning to seriously pound and when I looked at my shoulder I saw a sickly yellow substance dropping down from the blade. _Poison... he poisoned the knife._ On top of already being beaten up I could feel the foreign substance starting to work its way further into my system. I grew colder and my limbs started to feel numb. I felt myself breathing grow heavier and more labored just to get the same amount of oxygen in. Luke and Fulvia's conversation was muted up until the point where she reached down and ripped the knife out of my shoulder.

I groaned as something was roughly shoved over the wound, a rag or something from somewhere else in the room. I did my best to give a death glare to Luke through my daze as Fulvia finished lazily tying the rag to staunch the blood. Luke looked about ready to either stab me again, or was thinking something along the lines of _crap._ It was hard to tell.

"Get out of here Castellan, I have to clean up your mess. You had better hope I can get the info before she is entirely useless." Luke's knuckles were white, hands in fists. He stiffly gave me one last scathing look before swinging around and marching out of the room, door shutting loudly behind him.

Fulvia watched him go, as if he was just some kid throwing a tantrum. She shook her head and knelt down next to me again, taking the time to give the rag a jerk to tighten it. "Such an idiot. This is why _I'm_ in charge of this type of thing..." She was muttering. Her eyebrow quirked and she started reaching toward my head. I tried to lean back but her hand, instead of going for my forehead, went to my ponytail and she pulled out the pin.

"Nice trick, hide it better next time kid." She gave me a onceover and nodded to herself, snatching the knife up from the floor beside her. Fulvia walked to the door, my hair pin joining my ring inside her pocket.

"That stuff is slow acting but strong," She called over her shoulder. "So you probably have a few days before you really wish you were dead."

"Wouldn't know proper interrogation techniques if it slapped him in the face. Don't know why Kronos put _him_ in charge." She muttered while shaking her head, flicking the lights off again. "Stick around until tomorrow and maybe I'll bring you some leftovers from the buffet when I come to visit. We'll have another chat then." She looked to the knife in her hand and gave it a kind of look that said ' _moron_ ' and left.

I was having a hard time processing this situation, it all happened so fast. Yeah I had wanted to get under their skin so they would be off their game, maybe slip up, but getting stabbed with a poisoned knife wasn't in the plans. _Ironic..._ _At least I know their weak points for the future._ That is, if I ever got out of this place.

 _"Idiot..."_ I told myself as I tried to sit up against the wall, gasping slightly as I did. That thing hurt, and it had to be poisoning me too. "Chiron, I need you." I said absently to the dark room around me. Him, or even Dionysus I would take right about now. I scrunched my eyes closed as if that would help me with the pain. As the minutes passed by I felt what must have been the poison affecting me even more. My toes had gone completely numb and it was almost as if with every heart beat a new, radiating ache spread through me.

The gravity of the situation really seemed to hit me more than before the knife. I was in serious trouble, I was in no shape to be staging an escape, especially now. I had been traveling hundreds of miles via shadow travel in a short period of time and had generally gotten the crud beaten out of me, even before I even got too. The only reason I was still alive was that they could still use me, whether in hopes of getting information or as a hostage, it didn't matter. _What I would do for just one bite of ambrosia..._

* * *

It wasn't until a while later while I was sitting lethargically against the wall in hopes of somehow waiting out the worst of it that a thought hit me. The pomegranate seeds. What had Persephone said? My mind was having a hard time pulling up the memory for a moment before I recalled it. _You will know what to do with them when the time comes and you are in dire need._ Had she somehow known something like this would happen and just let me walk right into it? _Well, she did deliver the seeds..._ At least she hadn't entirely left me on my own.

I steeled myself, taking in a few painful breaths and I slowly fumbled for where I had hidden the seeds last. My waistband, pockets, even my shoe... they weren't there. Nothing. I groaned and leaned back against the wall. I would deal with that after I got some sleep, I was dead tired and wanted to try to escape the pain for a while.

Multiple, long attempts later, I was finally able to fall asleep. I dreamed of many random things while I was out that only became stranger and more frequent as time went on. Between Pax running around in a Christmas sweater to a dream about a bunch of sheep on a luscious island went through my mind. I woke up multiple times through the night- day- whichever. As time pressed on I felt myself becoming even weaker, and what scared me most was the feeling of my aura growing dimmer. It was truly a sickening feeling, being someone like me to be able to acutely be aware of yourself slowly dying. Being unable to do anything, but forever aware of it.

Fulvia appeared at what must have been the next morning carrying some water and a couple stale waffles. She kept grumbling about Luke's stupidity, my arrogant face, and that I was a resource they needed alive to get the information from and possibly as bait. She attempted to get some more information out of me but it was fairly easy to play the part of being too out of it to understand what was going on. A few frustrated kicks later she had finally left.

It was awkward trying to eat what she brought me, but I was hungry enough to work through it and get it down despite that.

I lost track of time after that, drifting in and out of consciousness, between dreams and hallucinations.

* * *

I stared down my opponent, carefully taking note of every step, every motion he was making. We slowly circled each other and with each step snow crunched underfoot. It had come down heavily the night before, but that was only to be expected in Colorado during the winter.

My opponent wiggled his fingers again and gave me another look, impish grin on his face.

"Oh shut it, Sparks. I've been practicing, you won't get me so easily this time." I said, cautious to not take my eyes off him.

"What? I didn't say anything. What are you talking about, Ally? I am just patiently waiting for you to make your move before we freeze." Nick said from across the way. It was true, it was starting to get colder out here. We had decided to stop on our walk home from school for a quick sparring session at our favorite location. The pines above us swayed in the light breeze, a gentle shower of powdery snow drifting down off the needles. _Hm..._ I pursed my lips, getting ready to make my move.

"You know, Ally, if you wan-" In a sweeping motion I flung snow at Nick and lunged. A gust of wind blew the snow cloud away and I met Nick on the other side.

"Tricky, but that could be considered cheating!" Nick said as he blocked my attacks with ease.

"Opponents won't play fair out in the real world." I said, focused on trying to land a hit on him.

A number of blocks later Nick spoke. "Watch your footwork." He ducked under my punch and jabbed me in the side. "Remember to keep your guard up too, Ally."

Nick was good, I would readily admit that to anyone and everyone. The minute he was introduced to close combat fights like this he took off to leagues of his own that were well beyond me, he kind of had to. Close combat without a weapon was something I needed to work on, hence our current fight, and Nick was the one with the lessons.

Our choice of location added an extra challenge to the fight, working through the snow just made my task my difficult. I had to either pin him, or land what would be a knockout blow to win this round. I was breathing heavily, my breath actually visible to me in the cold.

"Think tactically. I know you know this- don't overextend your reach either." Nick was easily batting aside my strikes and weaving around me with ease. He send a kick that swung to hook my leg but I jumped aside in time only to have my head whacked by his hand as I went.

"Ow, seriously?" I huffed while dodging another strike.

"I only tapped it, what's with the face?" He laughed as my scowl deepened. "You look like you're from the Lollipop Guild." I knew from the face he was making that he was trying not to laugh. Apparently the face I made just enhanced his statement because he backed up further from one of my hits with a grin.

"Tra la la la la la la!" He teased and had to duck quickly to avoid my swing. I could read his face like an open book, I knew he was trying to continue to be serious for the sake of our sparring session but I knew exactly what to say to throw him long enough.

"Better than Mr. Russo and his Cowardly Lion face." That did it. Nick spluttered and it gave me just enough of a distraction to catch him off guard and knock him into the snow. There was an indignant shout from him as his face was smushed into the snow and I casually sat myself down on his back.

"Huh, what was that Sparks?" I leaned in, hand to my ear. "I couldn't hear you through the snow. Sir- sir do you require aid? I cannot understand you, maybe try to-" I was cut off when he suddenly flipped over and threw me into the snow, causing me to yelp in surprise.

"I _said_ , I am going to be asking for a new best friend for Christmas." He smirked down at me and dropped a handful of snow onto my face. I swatted his hand away.

"Rude."

"And you don't call shoving someone else's face into a pile of snow rude?" He laughed.

"Nope, not if they let themselves get distracted during sparring. Your reaction was bad enough of a distraction when Mr. Russo overheard your Cowardly Lion comment, though I do admit it was wonderful to watch." I sat up and brushed away the melted snow from my face.

"I daresay getting caught was worth it, even if unintentional." Nick shook his head to fling the snow from his hair while grinning like a loon. Our school bags were hung up on one of the lower tree branches at a pine closer to the road, but when I glanced in that direction I didn't see them. I sat up further to get a better look over Nick's shoulder. My eye caught a sudden black blur that streaked from one tree to the next. My hand drifted to my necklace. There was another vaguely humanoid shape that leaped down from a high branch to take cover behind a tree stump.

"Hey, Nick... I think we've lost our shoe." Immediately Nick's face sobered but he continued looking at me normally so as not to give any indication to knowing that something was wrong. There was another short humanoid shape that flew from one tree to the next behind him. "I think we have a meeting with the Lollipop Guild at six. My mom said she will meet us in three shakes, maybe longer."

Nick nodded, now aware of exactly what I was aware of. Something had happened to our bags and there were at least three things currently somewhere behind his back. His own hand had drifted to his weapon that rested in its ring form on his finger. "What do you say we head out then? Wouldn't want to be late." He looked at me, eyebrow raised in question.

I nodded. "Sounds good."

Slowly we both stood, eyes fixed to watch the other's back.

Like a banshee there was a sudden piercing screech and something flew from the trees behind Nick. He whirled around and activated his sword, slicing the creature and turning it to dust just as it got within range. That act was like the flood gates being opened for the rest, at least five other _things_ came rushing forward from their hiding spots.

At first glance you might think that they were like black furry little devils. Once you really got a look at them you could see that aside from their burning red eyes and long black tails, nothing else would indicate that. They all had donkey's ears sprouting up from humanoid heads with boar tusks. Each one ran at us on a pair of horse legs, screeching at the top of their lungs.

I activated my weapons and flung my knife at the closest one. Upon contact it burst into golden dust. There was a crack of thunder and a bolt of lightning struck down another two creatures. I flicked my hand to bring my knife back to me as I engaged another of the Lollipop Guild's apparent welcoming party. These things were fast, I would give them that. They were like little chaos demons running around causing havoc. The things were even throwing some of our school supplies at us, but we were thinning them out in the least.

Nick had just taken out another while I got a hit on one who ran past toting my bag.

"I retract my prior statement!" Nick called out to me as a strong gust of wind blew his opponent back. "You look nothing like this branch of the Lollipop Guild!"

I rolled aside to avoid another book and slashed out with my sword at a passing figure. "Thanks! That is exactly what a girl wants to hear."

I finished off another of the goblin-like creatures and turned to see one of them taking a flying leap at Nick's back from a tree branch while he fought his last opponent.

"Nick!" I shouted and launched my knife at the creature. Nick slashed his sword through his opponent and turned in time to be showered with gold dust from the creature that had been flying at him.

I flicked my hand to return my knife before it fell into the snow below. Everything was quiet, except for Nick.

"Pah!" He spat out gold dust from his mouth and turned full circle, watching the woods around us, sword in hand. "Is that all of them?"

"I think that was all..." There were no more banshee-like screams, the only remains of the things we fought were the piles of gold dust they left behind. We stayed there for another minute on guard, waiting for another to come. None did.

Finally we relaxed, weapons held looser in hand.

Nick sighed and brushed some dust from his hair. "Well, I think we can call that a day. Let's get our stuff and leave Oz. We can ask Chiron about what the heck those things were when we get back to camp."

* * *

I was still pretty out of it when I woke next, but I could swear something soft was leaning against my leg. _Kallikantzaros?_ My mind was still partly in my dream- that was the name of the creatures that attacked that day. I was weary of opening my eyes because earlier I had thought I saw the Stoll brothers and Mr. D playing pinochle on the crate. I was not as easily accepting of what I saw while I was down here now because of that among other things.

My eyes cracked open and when they focused I saw something that both worried me and warmed by heart. Somehow Pax was there, lying curled up against my leg, asleep.

"Pax," I whispered, almost afraid to break the silence for fear she was just another image brought on by the poison. Immediately Pax's head perked up and she leapt to her feet. _She seems real enough..._

"Hey there, girl. What are you doing here? It's dangerous, you need to... you need to get out." She whined at me and climbed up onto my lap to sit down. If I was reading her right, she looked worried. Grant it, I could just be imagining things again, but this felt a bit too real to be fake.

"What's that on your neck?" I squinted and made out what looked to be a dark colored collar... purple maybe. There was a small drawstring bag clipped onto the collar loop. "Well I'll be damned..." I recognized that bag. It was the same one Persephone gave me back in Orlando after the task. _Did she send Pax here to get these to me?_ No, too farfetched. Persephone would never do that, or would she? When she was leaving I could have sword I saw pity on her face before she vanished. Dad maybe?

I decided not to worry about that right now and worry about getting to the seeds. I still didn't know exactly what they did but I had a feeling they would help me if I was injured like this.

"Scoot, Pax. Give me... give me a minute." I shifted my legs a bit to get her off and she stood beside me as I slowly, painfully worked my hands from behind my back, under me, and over my legs. It was a grueling task, but five minutes and a bit of extra pain later my hands were no longer stuck behind my back, even if they were still tethered.

"Alright, come on." I patted a leg and she came over, sitting down within easy reach. I almost dropped the clip several times, my hands numb, but I got the bag. Inside was what felt like my saving grace: the pomegranate seeds.

 _Well, the only logical thing is to eat them... I doubt they are actually magical grenades._ I hoped that they might work something like ambrosia to someone like me. Maybe a painkiller or something too- who knew, I just really hoped it was something like that. Nonetheless I had these for an apparent reason. I didn't bother to see just how many there were before I finished them off, and let me tell you that they were amazing after that sad excuse for a waffle. I managed to clip the bag back onto Pax's collar and patted my lap for her to come.

Pax settled down on my legs, curling up against my stomach to let me pet her. She was like a nice hot water bottle, radiating heat despite the cold room. It was wonderful.

Now felt like the opportune time to work on getting my bracelets out from under the ropes since I could actually see what I was doing. It was slow work but I got my knife's bracelet off my wrist and put it around my ankle, sure to pull my sock up around it for safe keeping. At least now I had an advantage they didn't know about. I would have tried for my other bracelet but it was still too covered to hope to get at it.

As I sat there I started to feel some of the worst of the pain grow dimmer. The ache I got with every heartbeat was lessened, or at least it didn't seem to be growing any worse. _Alright, so pomegranate seeds... help sustain. Got it._ That was my best guess anyway.

Pax was curled up and doing a nice job of keeping my lap and hands nice and warm. She didn't seem to want to leave even after a lot of coaxing. I knew she would be in deep trouble if they caught her in here. Fulvia especially would not be kind to her, but I could deal with that later. For now I needed rest.

* * *

 **AN:** Thoughts? Also I promise, next chapter there is a setting change. Have an awesome week!


	14. Chapter 14: Will Not Bow

**12/11/16:** Hello again, it has been way too long, but I will have a more details note at the bottom. I usually try to avoid long notes but I feel this time that it is due. This I believe is my longest chapter I have ever posted, topping out without these notes at like 9.3k. I very much hope that you have had a decent past number of months and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Will Not Bow**

* * *

The longer I spent trapped aboard that dreaded cruise ship the stronger my dislike for all forms of aquatic transportation grew. Despite the ship staying docked and not sailing around on the open ocean, it was still unpleasant for me to be on the water for this long, let alone whilst in the situation I was currently in. Had I been on a boat with Percy alongside me that was, say, taking a nice trip around Manhattan Island, I would not have minded it much. Being aboard a monster-infested cruise ship with mad demigods, a rising Titan Lord, and two extra vengeful demigod leaders who had it out for me? Well that was far from my idea of a fun time.

What I was not happy to be discovering as my time on the ship continued was that, true to Fulvia's earlier words, the longer I stayed there the stronger the poison's hold grew on me. The pomegranate seeds Persephone gave me seemed to have only succeeded in slowing the progression of whatever type of toxin was on that knife. Pax had taken it upon herself to stay close to me ever since her arrival, taking shelter out of sight behind the various crates that littered the room whenever someone would enter to check on my status. So, in layman's terms, to see if I was still breathing. On a few occasions Fulvia came to try and glean more information from me again but she soon stopped coming after a few attempts at doing so. It had once again been easy enough to play at being completely out of it while she was with me, so apparently now the only thing I was good for was to be used as bait thanks to Luke's actions.

It was a bit difficult to discern exactly how much time was passing when I was down there, even now with the help of the pomegranate seeds. To me it felt like weeks were passing but in reality it was probably only a few days. Had it been any longer, realistically the poison would have most likely completely consumed me. In all, I ended up spending a lot of time alone in that room with just Pax for company, and my injuries. Frequently I would fade in and out of sleep, and between dreams and the occasional hallucination things never really got too dull.

The dreams and hallucinations varied between things like Pax appearing to be running around in some article of cute puppy clothing, while others were more unpleasant images of things such as Chester alive in the room with me and taking great fun in taunting. While this may not have been as bad it may have been normally in a simple dream, the additional effect of the poison making time more difficult for me just made it worse. Time was warping and it was becoming difficult at times to even remember _when_ I was. Memories were dredged up, and even if things like what I was seeing with Pax was a bit amusing and helped to identify what century I was in, it was still problematic. The ones like Chester being alive and threatening me and those I loved again made it all the more confusing and frightening. It would play tricks on my mind that became more frequent the longer I went without proper medical treatment, pomegranate seeds could seemingly only do so much. The only gift I had was Pax usually being able to help snap me out of it, that was becoming less dependable with time however.

My shoulder had stopped bleeding for the most part and would only start up again if I were to move too much. The shirt Persephone zapped on me during our meeting in Orlando would have been lucky very if any of the floral print was still visible. My outlook on this situation was growing steadily dimmer and my hopes at some sort of miracle rescue were seriously diminishing. I knew the pomegranate seeds were only lending me borrowed time, that much I could tell clearly from the strength the feeling of my life-aura was giving off. The rate at which it was diminishing prior to the pomegranate seeds had slowed, but not stopped completely. In some of my more lucid moments I had tried to get Pax to leave the ship, and even if it would mean slipping downhill faster, she had to go as it simply wasn't safe here for her. She was a stubborn one though and soon I gave up on fighting her on the issue, I just didn't have the energy for it.

I consider it lucky that I was awake and aware at the time the several pairs of footsteps began pounding down the stairwell. It took a few seconds to process but once it did my attention snapped to Pax.

"Pax, get out of here! Do it!" I hissed at her and nudged her off my lap. She whined in protest but once the door started to unlock she disappeared into the shadow of the closest crate. I let myself breathe out a small sigh of relief, they couldn't hurt her now.

The door swung open and Fulvia entered flanked by two other demigods. I felt my body tense at the presence of them. They were dressed in armor and Fulvia looked as if Christmas had just come early for her.

"Cooper! Huh, gotta hand it to you for sticking it out this long. Kind of like a cockroach actually." She grinned. "Anyways, there is a little party going on the main deck and you're invited." She strode over with one of the demigods, the other remained to stand guard at the door. I looked up at her through half-lidded eyes, puzzled. Why would they be having a party let alone want me up there during it? An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.

"Come on, don't make us drag you." She hoisted me up via my good shoulder, which annoyingly still caused me to flinch. Once my feet were under me my vision turned black for a few moments when my other assorted injuries flared. I could feel the other demigod grab me when that happened to keep me upright, but he had latched onto my other arm causing me to hiss through the pain. Fulvia then severed the tie that kept the celestial-bronze cuffs around my wrists tethered to the column.

"Let's go." Fulvia prompted. Clearly she was eager for whatever was happening to get started, and with that the two of them basically carried me out the door, feet trailing behind me on the floor. I couldn't quite will up the energy to do anything but let them do so either, which didn't do anything to help me feel less pathetic right then. The pair of them brought me through a series of hallways with the third demigod walking behind us. We went up above using an elevator and soon we were out on the main deck- thank the gods that the only set of stairs we used were the ones right outside the room I had been held in.

Once we stepped out onto the main deck the sun struck me after days of being in the dark. My eyes snapped closed at the sudden assault of light and my head spun. It was like emerging from a cave. A few seconds passed and I cracked my eyes open and through the slits I could make out easily a dozen goons littering the deck. Laistrygonians, demigods, and dracaenae were all present and armed. Among them were some other figures who did not look happy to be there.

What helped me to identify the figures had been their assorted reactions once I became visible through the crowd. The reactions ranged from shock to anger and my heart dropped once I realized that it was Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Grover. If they were aboard like this then that meant that they had been captured too, and were clearly thoroughly surrounded right now. Trapped aboard this cursed ship by Luke and Fulvia just as I had been. Now it made sense to me why I was being pulled from that room after so long and why Fulvia had described this as a party. Under any other circumstances I would have been glad to see Grover with friends after his distress calls, but the four of them needed to get out of here immediately. They could not be dragged down like I had been. My heart started to beat faster and with that the ache that came with each beat became more amplified, but the adrenaline that was entering my system helped hold it off slightly.

"Allison!" Annabeth tried to run to me but one of the bear-men I had seen earlier during my stay stopped her from doing so. Tyson was calling out to me and Grover just looked stunned. One look at Percy and I knew he was about ready to tear Luke limb from limb.

"What have you done to her?" He growled at Luke. Fulvia and the other demigods pulled me to a stop by him but still kept their holds tight and kept me upright. I hated to say it but I wasn't all that sure I would have been able to stay upright on my own, even if it ticked me off to admit it.

"She a friend of yours?" Fulvia's voice cooed mockingly from above me on the right. The Cheshire cat-like smile I was sure was on her voice didn't even need visual confirmation by me to know it was there. "Hm, shame. It doesn't look like she will last much longer. To be honest, I am kind of surprised she made it this long in the first place. She wasn't very useful to us though. Maybe you could help with that, hm? So, back to the matter at hand: The Fleece."

Percy was trembling in rage and Annabeth's eyes looked watery but fierce. All of them at just one glance seemed like they had been roughed up from their quest, but they were still alive at least, and they _would_ stay that way. The adrenaline was finally beginning to kick-start my muddled brain and I felt myself give a small shake of the head in Percy's direction, silently willing him not to fall for whatever they were playing at. I knew now clearly why I had been brought onto the main deck, but the Fleece was too important to give up into the hands of people like this. They had to get out while they still could. This whole situation was sickeningly similar in my mind to what happened with Chester.

Percy's eyes caught mine and I saw him take a breath to steel himself. His jaw set and fists clenched tight at his sides he turned back to Luke.

"You've been toying with us this whole time, haven't you? You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it." _Good, he is buying for time._

"Of course, you idiot! And you've messed everything up!" Luke scowled. I didn't know how exactly they had 'messed everything up' but I was pleased to know that they had for him.

"Traitor!" Percy yanked out what looked like a drachma from his pocket and threw it at Luke. I was able to see Luke dodge it easily from my vantage point and Fulvia laughed at Percy's apparent poor attempt. "You tricked all of us!" He continued. "Even DIONYSUS AT CAMP HALF-BLOOD!"

After a second I understood what his plan was, the memory of my jailbreak attempt earlier and what I had been able to see of the layout of the main deck helped piece it together. Fulvia jerked my arm and I focused myself enough again to see that Percy was now brandishing Riptide.

"Who poisoned Thalia's tree, Luke?" Percy had everybody's full attention. Now all I had to do was to figure out how I could help before they noticed what he was up to.

"I did, of course." Luke snarled, shooting a look at me in clear remembrance of what I told him before he stabbed me. He then turned his attention back unto Percy. "I already told you that. I used elder python venom, straight from the depths of Tartarus."

"Chiron had nothing to do with it?" Percy prompted.

"Ha! You know he would never do that. The old fool wouldn't have the guts."

Fulvia started to speak but Percy ended up cutting her off before she could say more. Luke had even held his hand out at her in a _stop_ gesture. Percy really had Luke annoyed, which meant his attention was placed solely on him and not his plan.

"You call it guts? Betraying your friends? Endangering the whole camp?"

Luke raised his sword as he spoke and I finally noticed something that might help us next to me in Fulvia's pocket. _Is that... is that my ring?_ It was. "You don't understand the half of it. I was going to let you take the Fleece... once I was done with it."

My eyes locked onto Fulvia's pocket- it was so close to my hands. All it would take to grab it would be a simple movement, then I could activate it and attack. That should provide enough of a distraction to get Percy and the others an opportunity to get off the ship. With adrenaline aiding me I should be able to do it too. With the arrival of the four of them I had people to protect now- they were right in front of me and their presence were giving me more clarity than I had managed in days.

Annabeth was cutting glances between where I was being held and to the confrontation going on between Percy and Luke. I knew that brilliant mind of hers was running at a million miles-per-hour trying to come up with a way for _all_ of us to escape. I could only hope that once I gave them the chance they would take it and not waste time trying to get to me.

"You were going to heal Kronos," Percy said in sudden understanding and even from here I was able to see his grip tighten on the hilt of his sword.

"Yes! The Fleece's magic would've sped his mending process by tenfold. But you haven't stopped us, Percy. You've only slowed us down a little."

"And so you poisoned the tree, you betrayed Thalia, you set us all up- all to help Kronos destroy the gods." _There you go, Percy. Have him drive the nails into his own coffin._

"You know that!" Luke growled. "Why do you keep asking me?" _Any second now._

"Because I want everyone in the audience to hear you."

"What audience." It was time.

In the rush of movement to see what Percy was pointing at I jerked sideways and bumped myself into Fulvia. My hand slipped into her pocket and I quickly took hold of my ring. Once it was clear of her pocket my fist closed tightly around it to make sure it stayed hidden. Fulvia, as expected, wasn't happy about me bumping into me so she elbowed me hard in the gut but she was thankfully more occupied by what was happening. She snapped at Luke in a rage while I coughed from the blow, grimacing at the metallic taste that began to taint my mouth. "Castellan you idiot!"

Over the pool was the clear image of the Iris-Message. Now that I was able to look without giving away Percy's plan to early I could see what looked like the whole of camp at the dining pavilion though the mist, not just Dionysus alone. Dionysus wouldn't be able to brush it under the rug now with all the witnessed there even if he tried. It was truly an amazing idea Percy had there, I would have to congratulate him on it sometime. Hopefully in person.

"Well," Dionysus said dryly from his seat. "Some unplanned dinner entertainment."

"Mr. D, you heard him," Percy called out. "You all heard Luke. The poisoning of the tree wasn't Chiron's fault." _Damn straight it wasn't his fault._

"I suppose not." Dionysus sighed.

"The Iris-Message-" Tantalus had started to say but he was saying was cut short when Fulvia suddenly dragged me forward. It happened so fast that I had to hold back a yelp before the other demigod who had been holding me let go of my bad arm. It was now just Fulvia and I in clear view of the whole of everyone gathered. She held me in front of her, her knife appearing out of nowhere and taking up a position poised at my throat.

"Forget this- none if it matters! Those fools are useless and none of you will be living long enough to get back to your precious little camp anyways!" Fulvia yelled at Percy, ignoring what was happening with Luke and the Iris-Message. She yanked me further upright and from the few gasps I could make out coming from the direction of the I-M it seemed like I was now within clear view of the camp.

"Kronos _will_ rise and nothing you do will make a difference." She turned and addressed the campers through the message now. "Let it be known that anybody who fights for the gods will pay. Olympus will fall and if you stand against us this will be your fate-" Fulvia pressed her fingers to my head and spoke whatever word she uses to activate whatever spell she uses to make the pain happen, and this time I couldn't keep myself quiet once it struck no matter how hard I tried. The days I had spent trapped on this ship poisoned had weakened me. There were shouts coming from somewhere but even if I couldn't stay quiet I fought through the pain to do what I needed to do. Trying to stay quiet through the fire would only pull my focus and I would not break now before I could help get my friends off this boat and out of danger. I would put up a fight so even if it was the last thing I would do, I knew I could give them a shot to escape. I pulled together whatever strength I could muster through the pain and activated the sword in my hand.

"RUN!" Was all I managed to shout, voice ragged through the myriad of noise around me. My weapon sprung into existence in my hands and I swung it backwards at Fulvia. There was a satisfying screech right behind me as the blade made solid contact and her hand fell away.

Luke was bellowing in rage, chaos was all around, and the noise from the Iris-Message had cut away. I was dropped to the deck where I lay unable to move, sword loose in my grip. There was a new pain on my neck from what must have been Fulvia's knife as I fell but it was nothing compared to everything else. The distant sounds of Luke's army and a whistle came to me but I just couldn't stay awake any longer with the black encroaching on my vision. I felt myself slip away, the last of my energy finally failing me and the sounds of the fight faded to nothing.

* * *

The dream I had begun strangely. I was in a room of some sort but nothing was visible aside from the fog that surrounded me. It obscured everything but myself from sight. Cautiously I took a step forward, closer to the tendrils that wrapped around my surroundings. There was an ache in my shoulder but it felt abnormally distant to me.

"Hello?" I called out as I took another slow step. This had to be a dream I concluded, because I had the feeling that the last time I was awake there had been more than just my shoulder that hurt, and even that was currently faded.

"Hello, Allison." A smooth voice replied from off to my right. When I turned toward the speaker the fog began to clear just enough for the tall figure to become visible. He was dressed in dark robes that stood out sharply against the white background.

"Dad?" This was strange, even for me. Usually the only times I would make contact with my father were the rare trip I would take to the Underworld, but even those had been years ago before I died. The last time I saw him face to face like this had been during last year's quest- when he found out I was alive. Since then the only real communication I've had with him, if you could call it that, had been my confrontation with Persephone. That, and the occasional prayer sent his way while I pushed my food into the camp brazier at meals. I tried to remember if we had contact after what happened with Persephone, but anything that happened after that meeting was frustratingly blank.

"What are you doing in my dream?" I finally asked. He wouldn't just show up here to say hello, that wasn't his style. He had some purpose for being here, that much was clear.

He strode closer and halted before me. "This was the easiest way to communicate with you, given your current state." His face flickered for a moment and I thought I could see a slight frown before it was gone again.

"My current state?" I questioned. My mind was still foggy, just like the landscape.

He nodded solemnly. "I had feared this might happen. That is why I sent the pomegranate seeds to you, to help sustain you until help could arrive."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You do know that your wife made me clean up a graveyard full of the attacking undead that _she_ raised, unarmed just to get them, right?" That much I could clearly remember.

My father sighed and shook his head. "I suspected she might try something of that nature, but I had faith that you would be able to complete whatever she set before you. It was either that, or run the risk of you being severely underprepared for what was to come."

 _Underprepared._ When he said that it seemed to have triggered something in my mind and allowed me to start remembering what happened after I met Persephone. Bits and pieces began to come back to me and as they did I found myself staring at him a bit incredulously. Underprepared, that was how he described it. At least it seemed like whilst I was in his presence some of the fog that had been in my mind since the Princess Andromeda stayed at bay, allowing me think clearer.

"Underprepared? I was being chased down the East Coast by Lycaon and his pack with a bounty on my head, all alone, and you call that simply 'underprepared?'" I crossed my arms. "I was in trouble even before I hit Florida, and you seemed only concerned with what happened once I reached Miami?"

He opened his mouth to say something but I continued before he could speak. "I am going to ignore for the moment how you appear to have had prior knowledge something like what _did_ happen was going to occur and still let me walk right into it. That severely spiteful girl with the combat boots and magic, Fulvia? Just a heads up- if I am remembering right, given what she was interrogating me about, she wanted to know how to bring a soul back from the Underworld." I felt my fingernails dig into my palms. "She didn't get any information she couldn't have gotten on her own from picking up a book or two, but keep an eye out. Something didn't sit right with the whole thing, and for them to put an actual hit out on me, they have to have something more planned than just a person agenda."

Even as I spoke the memories that had become clear again were growing clouded once more. When I was telling him about what they were after I had remembered some more details but those seemed to be fading on me. I took this as a sign that whatever the connection was that allowed us to speak through this dream was breaking, and with it the clarity being in my father's presence had given me.

"Fulvia kept going on about a little sister, Aquila. Aquila Reeves, she would have died at age six." I studied my father for a moment but his face remained the same as it had been. He could definitely be frustrating at times, but I needed to get this information to him while I could.

"You should keep an eye on her if Fulvia's plan is actually to get her out and it wasn't just some sort of ploy. Aquila is who she would be targeting." My hand ran unconsciously down my face and I sighed. "Don't do anything to Aquila but I would keep watch. Also, even though she shouldn't be able to, don't let any guards you may post be within sight. She was a daughter of Hecate and might be able to see through the illusion and I don't want her scared, even after all her sister did. She's just a kid. I don't trust that Aquila was all she and Luke were after though."

He looked pensive for a moment, and after studying me for a few agonizingly long moments he finally spoke. "My guards will be placed on higher alert and this Aquila girl will be watched, but as you requested she will remain unaware. I understand that you are displeased with me but our time together is growing short, as I am sure you are able to tell, so I shall keep this brief. Your quest may not have ended the way you intended, but this was just another stepping stone on the path the end of this mess being over and done with."

It frustrated me but I knew he was right. In the state I'm sure my physical body was in we had been lucky to even get what time we already had. This dream was dying, but I suddenly remembered something important. "Tantalus! I swore to him that if he screwed with the camp he would have to answer to it down where you are. Can you make sure of that?"

My father's image was becoming more opaque but even so I could still clearly see his eye twitch upon mention of Tantalus. "Tantalus has already returned." He looked like he wanted to say more but instead chose to say something else. "As for right now you must fight to awaken. If you stay as you have been for long there will not be much I can do to assist you, nor will I be able to make this connection again."

Everything became murky again but I gave him a nod before he vanished completely. The dreamscape I had been in disappeared and I felt myself fall back into the dark haze I had been drifting through.

* * *

From what I was able to piece together, I woke at least partially several times, but what I saw during those times never made any sense to me. Chiron's back was in front of me, almost like I was on it, and someone was holding me steady from behind. I heard the vague sound of concerned voices but I couldn't make out exact words. I was able to identify the speaker at times though. Sometimes it seemed to be Percy, other times Annabeth, but more frequently it was Chiron's familiar deep voice that reached me.

It felt like I was simply drifting in a clouded haze and it somehow was even more frustratingly difficult to pinpoint what was real and what wasn't than when I was aboard the Princess Andromeda. Some voice kept echoing in my mind, telling me to 'fight to awaken'. Percy and Annabeth would appear at times, Pax too, but it was too often a dark haired girl with cruel eyes and Chester. Old nightmares came back full force, but every so often it would be interspersed with the taste of caramel.

During another repeat of the nightmare that took place in my final confrontation with Chester I woke to more awareness than the other times. Chester's eyes had just melted from his electric-blue to gold again when I woke to my heart beating rapidly and sweat covering me. When my eyes cracked open my heart stopped mid-beat. A pair of electric-blue eyes were staring down at me- they were all I could see and it felt as if they were looming over me. Even in the best of circumstances after waking from a dream such as that I would have been disorientated. Waking up after the past number of days I had experienced? Well, I did the first thing that came to mind and I instinctively swung at Chester.

When my arm moved to land the punch on his face my shoulder instantly protested with a flare of pain. It felt like it had been lit on fire but I landed the hit despite that and Chester recoiled out of sight. I hadn't been able to move my arm as easily as I should have, it was like something was holding it back. Restraining it. That caused me to freak out even more. In my terror I ended up tossing the blanket I had been under up over me just enough to create a shadow and I found myself shadow traveling away. I had no set destination in mind and I only knew that I had to get away out of some basic instinct resonating through my panic-flooded brain. The minimal energy I had prior the shadow travel drained out of me in a snap and I knew I had not been able to go very far when I fell out of the shadows.

My heart felt about ready to burst out of my chest, my whole body hurt, and I had no clue where I was or what was going on. All I knew was that there was danger nearby. As I landed hard on the ground I could make out a carpet beneath me and hooves before I was out again- head slamming into the floor and adrenaline spike gone.

* * *

Trying to pull myself up from unconsciousness was like trying to swim through molasses- I kept being pulled back down and any progress I made was painstakingly slow. When I finally did succeeded I was at first confused at what I saw. There was just this black mass of fur blocking my vision, but I wasn't cold or numb anymore. Most of the pain was gone, and even if my shoulder still felt terrible and I was overall sore, I at least seemed to have enough energy to stay awake for a little while.

I shifted to try to see past the black fur but once I did it suddenly moved, leaping up and something wet was now trying to lick my face.

"Gah!" I recoiled at the unexpected assault and used my uninjured arm to hold back the ball of fur. My eyes focused and I realized what this black mass of fur that was trying to smother me was. It was Pax! Sure she was a bit bigger than I remembered, but she was still clearly Pax. Memories all came back to me at once- the Fleece, Lycaon, Persephone, the Princess Andromeda, Luke, and finally Fulvia. I decided to shove those particular memories aside for the moment in favor of taking note of my surroundings. There was a bedside table with a glass of water on it and a lamp that was turned off to my left. Judging from the light coming in through the edges of the blinds it was either sunrise or sunset too.

Slowly I moved myself up so my back was against the headboard of the bed I had been laying on. That was another development- I was on a bed, with blankets, and pillows, and I even appeared to be wearing new clean clothes. This was about as far from the last setting I remembered myself being in as one could get. The last place had been cold, dark, and unkind. This setting was actually sort of pleasant. I still instinctively checked for my weapons though, only to come up empty. My heartbeat picked up pace but I forced myself to remain calm. If I was in a bed and Pax was here with me then I must be safe. Either way I would still feel a lot more comfortable with my weapons available, I never voluntarily went anywhere without them. That was when I remembered what I had done with my knife's bracelet last, I had placed it around my ankle.

Once I gently pushed Pax out of the way to allow me space to lean down and reach my ankle I was relieved to find my bracelet was still there. Some part of me thought about that... the two weapons that had been left in their usual forms were gone, but my knife- usually a necklace -was still here. Whomever took them, quite possibly to make sure I couldn't surprise attack anyone with a deadly weapon, didn't know about my knife's bracelet form. I supposed that was understandable given how I had only just recently figured that trick out myself.

Memories of my last clear dream came back to me too. It was the conversation with my father and him telling me to wake up. Something else scratched at my mind and this memory felt more recent. It consisted of Chester and me punching him, but that couldn't have happened now that I could think about it fully. It was a recent memory while Chester had been gone for a long time now, so who had I punched? I still felt a bit on edge after all that happened, and I knew I still was not fully healed- that much was easy enough to feel. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"Come on Pax, let's see who is around this place." I whispered as I slipped my bracelet back around my wrist.

When I moved myself from under the blanket and placed my feet on the floor I gave myself a minute to assure I wouldn't be falling straight back down as soon as I put my weight on them. I took advantage of the glass of water within reach too. I also noted that when I went to reach for the glass my arm was in a sling, the one that was attached to my carved up shoulder. So _that_ was what was limiting my mobility. I didn't know how I hadn't seen it there sooner, kind of hard not to notice, but it was there alright. It gave some support to the arm at least to keep it steady.

After I stood I turned back around and scooped Pax up from the bed with my good arm, settling her so I was supporting her behind. She took full advantage of her front paws being draped over my shoulder to push her face against my neck. Pax was definitely heavier than I remembered her to be, and larger. She still wore that collar I had last seen her in though, and if I was guessing correctly it seemed as if she had received a bath in the time I was out.

I made slow but steady progress to the door, measuring my footsteps as I did to remain as quiet as I could until I knew where exactly we were. I hovered my hand near my bracelet to be ready to activate it at a moment's notice if need be too. When I opened the door I finally pieced together where I was and my hand relaxed, it was the Big House back at camp. I knew that ugly carpet and wall color combination anywhere. Knowing this put me more at ease as I walked down the hall and descended the staircase. I passed Chiron's office but when I glanced through the open door there was nobody inside. At the entrance to the living room I stopped walking. Someone was sitting on the couch, a book in hand.

"Annabeth?" I asked, internally wincing at the sound of my voice. When I had whispered to Pax back in the bedroom it hadn't sounded as bad, but speaking now it was raspy and clearly hadn't been used in a while. Even after saying her name quieter than I might have normally her head still turned and her face lit up once she saw me.

"Allison!" Her book snapped shut and she hurried over to me. "What are you doing up? You should be in bed, you-"

"Annabeth," I cut her off, knowing full well she would continue to make a fuss about me not being in bed if I didn't stop her. "Annabeth, I'm fine. I just didn't know where anyone was."

"Oh, well, we actually weren't expecting you to be awake yet. Everyone is up at the dining pavilion for dinner, it was my turn to stay down here just in case." She pulled me into a half-hug, careful to avoid my shoulder and to not squish Pax between us.

Annabeth looked at the two of us once she moved away. "Where did you find her anyway? She is adorable." She nodded to Pax and gave her a back a bit of a rub. Pax's tail was beating against my side and she looked very pleased right then.

"Charleston." I supplied. "Her name is Pax, well... I guess Chiron probably already told you that if you aren't surprised to be seeing her here." I was glad she had chosen to keep the conversation away from the elephant in the room- I didn't quite feel like talking about it in full right then.

"The Fleece," I asked. "Did you get it? Is everyone okay?" Okay, that part of the elephant was hard to ignore, but I needed to know. That feeling I had when I first arrived here this summer, the kind of feeling that there was someone terminally ill or dying in the camp, it was distinctly gone now. I also needed to know that everyone was safe.

Annabeth nodded. "Yeah, the Fleece has been on Thalia's tree for a few weeks now, and everyone made it back to camp." She looked like she wanted to say more but was holding back. What really struck me with what she said though was how she had used the word _weeks._

" _Weeks?_ " My voice was noticeably higher than normal. I couldn't have been out for that long. Sure poison, a stab wound, and werewolf claw marks would put you in the infirmary for a bit, but _weeks?_

Annabeth pursed her lips."You were in bad shape, Allison. We didn't... after what..." She sighed. "From what Chiron said, you're lucky to be alive. That poison that was in you? Nasty stuff, not to mention the other injuries you had when we got to you. I mean, broken ribs, your shoulder even without the poison, and the blood loss alone was bad enough as it was. It wasn't good, Allison."

I stood there for a few moments simply stunned by all of this.

"Maybe you should sit down, you look pale." Annabeth guided me into the kitchen and sat me down on one of the chairs in there. A small part of my mind was relieved to not have to hold Pax up anymore- I was still pretty drained -she just sat on my lap instead. The larger part of my brain was swimming with questions though. How much time had I missed and what happened on the ship after I passed out. How did we even all get off the ship and back to camp? I still didn't even completely know what happened with Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson on their side of the journey.

"Annabeth, please just tell me what happened. All of it- I need to know." I looked at her imploringly. Even if I may not like what I heard I still needed to hear it. Being out for large chunks of time like this, especially after Chester, did _not_ sit well with me.

Annabeth didn't respond right away, instead she filled up a glass from the cabinet with some nectar and passed it to me, adding a straw for good measure. I nodded in thanks and as she spoke I took sips from the godly drink.

When she finally finished catching me up on their side of the story I just sat there, trying to absorb all of the new information.

Finally I spoke. "Okay, so let me get this straight, in short: you eventually got the Fleece and rescued Grover, Clarisse flew the Fleece back to camp, it became attack of the Party Ponies on the ship, the Fleece is on the tree and the borders are safe again, Chiron was reinstated, and there was a chariot race? All of this happened during the quest and while I was out?"

She hesitated before nodding. I knew there was still more to the story. "Annabeth, what else happened that you aren't telling me?"

Annabeth bit her lip and looked like she was trying to come up with the right words for whatever she was going to say.

"The Fleece, it didn't just heal the tree. It... it brought Thalia back."

I was floored, but after a few moments of pondering the implications of this news something came to mind. "Oh gods, me punching someone... if Thalia is back- was that actually Thalia I punched?" If she carried the children of Zeus trait of electric-looking eyes then it very well may have been.

Annabeth's little smile just confirmed my suspicion and I groaned. "Ah, yeah. You were kind of out of it when that happened. Don't worry, she knows you didn't mean it. You left her with a pretty good black-eye though. She just startled you when you weren't all there."

My face felt very warm. What a first impression to make, punching someone in the face. I rested my head in my hand. "Ugh, I thought... I thought she was Chester and panicked. I had hoped that was just a dream but..." Annabeth's smile melted a bit. "Did she see me shadow travel? I did actually shadow travel, right?"

Annabeth shook her head and I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. "We made sure she thinks you were just quick, and it helped that the blanket kind of flew up at her. I was there with you two- she came with me to visit you, but she doesn't know it was actually shadow travel that got you out of the room so quickly. It makes sense though- how you said you thought she was Chester. While you were out you would speak sometimes, like you were having some pretty intense dreams. Usually it wasn't anything we were able to make out, but a few times I heard my name and Percy's in there. Ours, Chester's, and Nick's."

I found myself shaking my head. "Just after seeing the eyes and the dream I was having before I saw her..."

"Yeah, I understand. Hey, honest mistake. If I had been in your position I probably would have done the same." She shrugged, then her face lit up as if she had just recalled something. "Oh, that reminds me!" She dug into her pocket and brought out two items. "We thought it would be best after that incident to keep them out of reach, at least until you were cognizant. We didn't want anyone getting hurt by accident or something, or for you to end up hurting yourself somehow. We... well, we don't know what happened to your knife. I'm sorry, but these were the only two we found. We've had whoever has been staying with you at the Big House to be here if you woke up hold onto them so we could get them back to you once you were up." She pushed my Cerberus ring and my sword's bracelet across the table to me and I slipped them on.

"That was probably for the best, thanks. You're right though, at least I only punched Thalia and didn't bring out any of these. Don't worry about the knife, by the way. I still have it- I found out it could turn into a bracelet if I wanted it to and had it around my ankle so I could, er... access it quickly if needed." I held up the wrist that had been mostly blocked by Pax's body during our conversation to show her the new chain bracelet.

"Huh, smart." She commented but I knew she understood the double meaning of what I said. She had seen me on the ship so she knew I wouldn't have been able to get to my weapon fast enough had it still been covered by the ropes, and the necklace would have been too conspicuous. I finished off my glass of nectar and moved to go place it in the sink but before I could Annabeth grabbed it and put it away for me.

"Thanks. Hey, when will the others be back by the way?" The analog clock nailed to the wall showed that it was nearing the end of dinner already.

"They should be here soon." She plopped back down onto the chair she had claimed earlier then looked from Pax to me, who by now had been nestled contentedly in on my lap for a good chunk of time."You know, she refused to leave your side for long. I don't know how you got her that attached to you so quickly, but I had to actually put her on a leash to get her washed. She did _not_ want to leave."

I smiled down at my companion. It was sort of nice to hear that she had stuck by me. "Thanks for giving her a bath, she needed it. Frankly I'm just glad you guys brought her up from Florida with you."

"When she showed up after we got to the Party Ponies campsite and didn't let anyone near you Chiron figured she was Pax. He said she had been in an I-M from you earlier in your trip."

Upon mentioning the earlier part of my trip she reminded me something else I had forgotten up to this point, or more accurately, someone. I really should send word to Lyn that I was okay, as it had apparently been weeks that I was out with no word she probably thought I was dead by now or something. What Annabeth had also helped me remember was the arrowhead Lyn had gifted to me. Last I was aware, that arrowhead had been hidden in my shoe but I was distinctly lacking in the footwear department at the moment. The only thing I had on my feet were the pair of socks my bracelet had been under. It brought up the interesting question of how whoever took my shoes off didn't notice the bracelet and take it away when my other weapons were confiscated after the whole Thalia incident. _Well, who knows. Question for a later date._ I really did want to contact Lyn though, she and her father had been so kind and helpful to me and at least deserved to know I was still kicking.

"Hey, do you have a drachma I could use? I need to make a call before the others get here. Also was there by any chance an arrowhead found in my shoe when I was out? I didn't see when I got up."

"Drachma? There should be a few in Chiron's office, I'm sure he won't mind. As for the arrowhead, I think I remember Chiron carrying one out of you room. We can ask him later about your mysterious shoe-arrowhead, but the drachma we can get now. Come on." She led the way to Chiron's office and fished out two drachmas from a drawer. Once she dropped me off at the bathroom to place the call I watched her walk back into the living room. Pax was inside with me and I made sure to shut the door firmly so as to keep the steam in after turning the hot water on in the sink.

While the water heated up I took a washcloth from the cabinet and ran it under. The image reflected back at me through the mirror looked like one of someone who had been dead for days. My skin was ashen, dark spots were taking up residence under my eyes, and I looked severely sleep deprived, to list a few of the key elements.

I spent a few minutes trying to make myself look a bit less severe than I did when I walked in, all while trying to work around my sling and bandages. Off somewhere behind me I could hear Pax playing with the shower curtain, seemingly content to keep herself occupied for the time being. Even with the sling I was able to pull my hair up out of my face, which I liked to consider pretty good considering. Having it down had been annoying me ever since I woke up. I probably spent a bit more time than necessary trying to make it seem like I hadn't just woken up after being held captive on a cruise ship full of monsters, but I refused to continue to give off that weak appearance I was sure I had been conveying. Like I was some kind of beaten up little kid. Being in the Princess Andromeda the way I had been was an experience I would have rather pretended never happened altogether, but the whole of camp had surely seen me through the Iris-Message. The purpose for the call had been good- Percy more than likely assured that Chiron's name was cleared with it and set things straight. Even with all the good it did I was still not thrilled about the camp population seeing me how I was, I wouldn't be able to forget that whole experience as easily as I had hoped. While I couldn't erase what they had seen but I could damn well make sure they wouldn't see me like that again.

Once I deemed myself suitable enough so I didn't cause immediate alarm I made the rainbow with the little mirror that was kept in the cabinet just for this purpose and flipped a coin into the mist.

"O' Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me Lyn Irving on Roanoke Island, North Carolina please."

It took a few moments to connect, as usual, but once it did the image of Lyn sitting atop what must have been her bed, a few seashells littering the blanket around her and a drawing pad on her lap came into focus.

"Lyn!" I called out to her. Lyn jumped at the sound of a sudden voice in her room, dropping her pencil when she did, and looked around. When she saw me a giant smile grew on her face.

"Allison, you're okay! Oh we were so worried, no word from you in weeks! I refused to think the worst could have happened, but I am so relieved you're okay! You _are_ okay, right?" She leaned in closer to the message to get a better look at me and assess the damage. "You look a bit beaten up, and is that a sling? You didn't break your arm, did you? Did you end up getting into another fight after you left? You're safe, aren't you?" It was rapid-fire questions, all of what she said amazingly all originating from just one breath.

"Breathe Lyn, I'm fine... or I am now anyways. I did not break my arm and I am back at camp, so I'm safe. I just wanted to check in to let you know that I'm okay, I figured I owed you at least that much." Her smile was infectious.

"What happened after you left?" She asked me after assured I was in one piece, generally speaking. Her eyes seemed to lock onto something behind me now that she wasn't focused fully on checking me over as best she could through the I-M. Lyn tilted her head. "Is that a dog?"

I actually found myself laughing at this, which was a bit strange hearing after so long. "Only _now_ do you notice I am not alone? And no Lyn, that is clearly a panda who only happens to look like a dog."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Ha ha. Very funny. Now please just tell me what happened, and I also want to know when you got such a cute dog."

"Okay, fine. I'll give you the summarized version of what happened though because we won't have enough time for the full thing with the amount of drachmas I have here."

Despite doing my best to include only all the major points of what happened in the time we had I quickly had to throw in my second drachma. To say that Lyn didn't get visibly distressed during my recap would be a lie. Even simply mentioning the dracaenae in Charleston brought concern to her face. She did seem to enjoy hearing how I met Pax though at least, so that softened the story a bit. I did my best to water down events but I knew she could see through my attempts and I couldn't quite lie about why I hadn't called her sooner. I found that I had to admit how I had been out of commission for while and that is why I never sent word to her. I carefully avoided the full extent of what happened with Fulvia and Luke though. I had a feeling that Lyn, regardless of her usual docile personality, would be up in arms if she heard about what they did.

"Oh, well I'm just glad you're safe now. I will be sure to tell my Dad after the call is over too, he will be happy to hear that you're okay."

I found myself smiling again when she said that. Lyn just seemed to have that innate ability to make you smile without even really trying.

"Thanks, be sure to tell him I said hello by the way." The image was beginning to fade, indicating that if we wanted to continue our call I needed to throw in another drachma. A drachma I did not currently have at the moment.

"Hey, so it looks like the call is about to drop. I really just wanted to let you know I'm okay and once I get back home after the summer is over I will send you some mail so we can talk more without having to use up drachmas."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll keep an eye out for it, and Allison? Take it easy, okay? Don't push yourself too much before you are fully healed. I know there were probably some things you didn't include in your recap, but that doesn't mean you can just jump right back into it right away. Take care of yourself." She gave me a knowing sort of look. "Also, give Paxy a treat for me, will 'ya?"

"Alright, will do. Bye Lyn!" The last of the I-M dissipated, leaving me with just the steam from the hot water and a shower curtain with a healthy amount of new puppy-teeth sized holes in it.

* * *

 **AN:** Hello everybody, I hope you enjoyed this chapter after those last few chapters. First off I would like to apologize for leaving you all hanging for so long- if you hadn't seen the note I posted a few months ago, it basically was informing readers that even though I hated to do it, I needed to post it to say that there wouldn't be any updates for a while. (Even though I always strive and a great majority of the time succeeded in being able to post a regular update weekly). I had some health issues going on that were preventing me from being able to continue posting, that was back all the way in July. Since then there has been a lovely heaping of life things going on for me, between death of a family member and a few other assorted things. Anyways, I wanted to let you all know that I have started writing again and will resume the chapter releases for this story.

For any new readers, when I say posting and such it may have indicated that I already had them all set and ready to post, but they haven't been. My system is that I only start posting a story once I have the first draft or two solidly complete of the entire book. That way I can work on the next chapter to make sure it is ready for the next week, but I usually only post the chapter after the 4th or 5th draft. I am very picky with what I post, as in the quality of it. I want what I post to be good and for me to personally feel good about it. A rushed chapter wouldn't do that, and I want to be able to post regularly for all of you lovely people too, hence the having a complete draft or two complete before I begin releasing. _(This chapter just kept growing by the way, the previous draft of this chapter was like 7.7k and now it topped out at like 9,318 words long. It took a while to edit, needless to say)_

Anyways, we are just about done with Book 2. Next chapter will be the final one (I know, it was bad timing to stop posting for months with only two chapters left to post), and then I will be working on Book 3. There will be a space of time again from when I finish this book and when I start posting Book 3, but I will still be checking my account and things during that time for any private messages or other things during that time. Also, the only thing I am going to say that can tie into any real world happenings right now is this: **Please remember to spread love and kindness to others. Everybody has their own things going on in their life, their own things that effect them and their own backgrounds. So I ask you just try to remember this, and just try to be supportive and understanding of others. Be kind to others, and to yourself too, because you _do_ deserve it.** My PMs will be open and I while I do not claim to be an expert on anything, nor am I personally without faults or issues, but I will do what I can to be there for you and help you out if you ever need a hand. (Or even if you just want to talk about book-y things)

Now, I sincerely hope that you have had a decent past number of months since I last was able to wish you well, and I will be posting Chapter 15 next week, so I will see you then. Do let me know what you thought of this chapter (I had a bit of a difficult time choosing the title for this chapter and had a few close runner-ups, but I think this one suits it decently). I hope you have a lovely week. -Tasha :)


	15. Chapter 15: What We Leave Behind

**10/31/17:** Happy Halloween! I will keep it short up here, but at long last, the final chapter of Book 2. You may have seen my note on my profile last month, but if not a brief recap will be in the AN at the bottom. This chapter comes in at just under the same length as last chapter. So without further adieu, I hope you have been well and enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 15: What We Leave Behind**

* * *

When my call with Lyn concluded I simply stood there watching the steam continue to drift up from the basin of the sink. Finally I shut the water off but did not move from my place. My good hand remained braced on the porcelain rim with my arm stiffly supporting me up as the condensation on the mirror slowly began to clear. Pax was still messing around with the bottom of the shower curtains behind me, and while I knew she was undoubtedly poking holes in the fabric. I honestly wasn't too concerned about that minor detail, and frankly, I highly doubted Chiron would care that much about a few holes in the material either.

I had chosen to make the I-M call to Lyn in the bathroom on the second floor of the Big House so it could give me a bit of extra privacy during our conversation. That, and so I wouldn't immediately be ambushed by those Annabeth was sure to have notified of my status the moment I stepped through the door. Already I was able to hear several pairs of footsteps and the distinct sound of Chiron's wheelchair entering the front door on the level below. Dinner at the pavilion must have finally concluded, and with the news that I was back in the land of the living there wasn't much doubt that my friends would be downstairs, potentially even with Thalia in tow.

Annabeth and the daughter of Zeus had been close before she was transformed into a tree, that was a well established fact. Heck, had it not been for Thalia and _Luke_ finding Annabeth when she was little, who knows where she would be today? Now that she was back and newly resurrected, I knew Annabeth would want to stick close to her in the very least for a bit to make sure she was settling in okay, among other things.

While Thalia had a lot of mystery surrounding her, the one thing that I knew about her was that I definitely sympathized. I knew what it felt like to be out for a number of years and suddenly wake to something completely different from what you left behind. Despite that... connection, at this point I still did not entirely know what to think of her, nor if I wanted her to even _know_ about the experience we shared. I have heard the stories about her, but that was different than actually _knowing_ the girl on a personal level and having that trust. The main source of the stories had come from Annabeth who had been seven at the time of Thalia's 'death'. She would have seen the daughter of Zeus as more of a near-perfect older sister figure, and let's face it: most stories of the departed from the ones they loved are often idealized and painted the subject in the more favorable light. It was not that I did not trust Annabeth's judgment, it was just that I needed to get to know the daughter of Zeus for myself before making any decisions.

There was always a risk that she would not take too kindly to who my father was, and I couldn't bring myself to fully blame her for that. My dad had been the one to ultimately cause her to be transformed into a pine tree and lose years of her life. I had essentially sucker punched the girl too, and _that_ was always a good way to say hello to people.

The condensation had just about cleared from the mirror so I gave my head a bit of a shake to help bring my thoughts back on track. I tidied up the bathroom from Pax's playtime and made the trek downstairs to meet everyone who had gathered in the living room.

Annabeth was passing through the hallway with a few bottles of water in her hands and appeared to be carrying them into where the quiet murmur of voices were coming from. When our eyes met she simply smiled reassuringly and nodded her head in the direction of the others. I worked a quick smile onto my face to send back before following her inside. A quick canvas of the room showed Percy and Grover already seated, even if they had sprung up again once catching sight of me. Chiron was also present, as the sound of his wheelchair earlier had indicated. Their faces brightened and Percy was the first to encompass me in a big but careful hug.

"Ally, you're awake! We thought- never mind. How do you feel?" After a few moments he carefully detached himself and held me at arm's length, carefully looking me over for any damage that may not have been taken care of already.

"Percy, I'm fine... just tired. Don't worry, calm down." I reassured him, even if it was technically lie. My shoulder still ached with that lingering acidic feeling, and my energy was quite low, but I refused to let them worry more than they already had been.

"Fine my butt! You've been unconscious for weeks!" He exclaimed as Grover came up to me and gave me a one-armed hug.

"Allison, good to see you! We weren't sure when you would be up and about." Grover had a smile on his face though and I realized that we really hadn't seen each other since last year when he left for his search.

"You did give us quite a scare there, Miss. Cooper." I heard Chiron say from his spot in the room. Choosing to ignore his comment and gaze for the moment I went over to the couch, gesturing for the others to follow. Pax, who had been trailing behind me ever since leaving the bathroom leapt up and settled against my leg the moment I sat. I caught Grover grin at Pax when she ran past and I could feel everyone's eyes watching me carefully. Chiron's especially I could feel following me, the legendary trainer of heroes had lived for thousands of years and _knew_ how to read people. He had also seen my lost friend and I in the aftermath of what happened in '43 and knew how it impacted us.

Percy had claimed the seat closest to me and Annabeth handed out the water she brought from the kitchen before taking a seat herself. Overall the whole gathering was very reminiscent of the meeting that took place after the quest for the Master Bolt last year.

"Where's Tyson?" I asked while twisting the cap off the bottle, noting the lack of the kind Cyclops in the room. Knowing him, the big guy would be here if he could and the shortage of good hiding places for someone of his stature was telling. Tyson quite clearly wasn't here which led to the question of where exactly he was. Thalia didn't appear to be present either, a detail for which I was secretly relieved.

"Tyson was given an, er, internship underwater at the Cyclopes forges. Poseidon invited him and he left a few days after we got back to camp." Percy explained.

"Ah... well, good for him. 'Betcha he is loving it down there." I was disappointed I never had the opportunity to tell him goodbye but I knew working at a place like that should be a blast for him. An Iris-Message was always a possibility too.

After a moment of contemplation I turned my attention to Annabeth. "Will it just be the five of us, or is anybody else coming?"

"No, just us for now- figured you would want it that way." She replied and I resisted the urge to breathe a small sigh of relief. Given what I knew what we were about to discuss I was glad they understood why I wasn't keen on sharing in the first place, let alone anyone besides those I was closest to.

There was a semi-awkward silence that settled over the room for a few moments before I finally chose to break it.

"So... I guess now would be the time for the post-quest recap from my end then, huh?"

Chiron studied me for a moment longer before answering for the room. "I have already informed them of the general events I knew of that occurred during your journey, and they have already supplied their side of the adventure before we invaded the ship from their perspective. Alas, there are multiple blanks we have not been able to wholly fill in, I am afraid."

My hand absently stroked Pax's head as I thought on what exactly to share. It did not surprise me in the least that they already had their own post-quest discussion; given my condition the issue of what happened on my end has definitely been the burning question these past few weeks. I knew from experience too that I could always talk with Chiron privately if need be.

"Right," Taking a big breath in before speaking and stubbornly ignoring the twinge from my ribs at the action, I continued. "Well, Annabeth filled me in on some of the highlights when you were all at dinner. While I do want to hear more of it, I know you have all been waiting."

"Ally," Percy broke in. "We know that-"

"No," I cut him off as he was mid-reach to place his hand on the foot I had tucked up onto the couch. "It's fine, I would be dying to know if I were in your position too."

"You can omit anything too... harsh, if you want to right now, we understand. We have all just been very worried about you and haven't even been able to speak to you since we left camp. A lot can happen on a quest." Annabeth stated.

"Yeah, I understand. Alright, key points from my little adventure then." I tried for a smile to lighten the mood but I'm not entirely sure how it appeared to the others in the room."So, after the two of you-" -I gestured using two of the fingers that were atop Pax's ear. "Left camp with Tyson, Mr. D and Tantalus called me up to their table the next morning. They were definitely ticked off the three of you had vanished," I smirked a bit at the memory. "It did provide that extra opportunity to enjoy annoying Tantalus, and a few questions and grapevines later, I left with the joy of full time kitchen patrol and stable duty for the rest of the summer." There was a shared grimace from my friends.

Looking to Chiron I added, "By the way, if Mr. D expects me to do those jobs with this sling I doubt he will be too happy with the results- just saying." To my right I heard Percy cover a small snort of laughter.

Chiron waved his hand dismissively, but I caught a glint of mirth in his eyes. "Do not worry, you need not concern yourself with that any longer. Consider it forgotten."

"Right, well once I picked up my new sword from Beckendorf-"

"The sword you used on the ship, right?" Annabeth inquired.

Giving her a simple nod of confirmation I continued. "After picking up the sword, I packed a bag and hitched a ride on a bus from the city that was traveling down to Charleston. Unfortunately during the first stop in Baltimore I needed to shadow travel out quickly, which essentially put the money I spent for the full trip down the drain." The fond memory of causing that lycanthrope to slam into the mailbox came to mind, and it was surprisingly the one thing I didn't mind about that ruined pit stop. Of course, my escape had only left the mortals in the area behind to be targeted by the pack I had brought there in the first place. I didn't even know who the people I left to get killed were.

Chiron caught my eye and raised his eyebrow ever-so-slightly but I simply narrowed my eyes briefly in response. He clearly wanted me to elaborate further for the rest of the group but that was not going to be happening right now. As it was, Annabeth was eyeing me skeptically as well, but stayed quiet and let me continue.

"Right after that was when Chiron heard from me in Washington D.C. before I made the next jump that brought me to Roanoke Island. I camped out on the island over night and the next morning I met Lyn. She is a daughter of a Nereid- and yes Percy I will introduce you sometime -who helped me a bit before the jump to Charleston." Percy, as predicted, had seemed interested upon the mention of a daughter of a Nereid just as Lyn had been in the mention of a child of Poseidon.

"Charleston is where I found Pax, and as you can see she stuck with me for the rest of my trip, which I have already told Annabeth." Upon hearing her name Pax's tail began to happily beat against the couch. I covered the need to catch my breath again by focusing briefly on rubbing her head with both hands. Unfortunately, speaking this much so soon after waking up was getting irritatingly tiring.

"Well, she is definitely attached for you. I can't really understand her though." Grover commented. This caused me to pause for a moment, then the reason hit me.

"You might not be able to understand her completely because I am fairly certain she is part hellhound. But yes, I kind of figured the attachment thing after she jumped in to help me with a pair of dracaenae on the way to the bus station in Charleston. "

Grover did not seem too surprised by this, but he did eye Pax with a bit of an extra-cautious look before nodding. "We thought she might be- but you fought dracaenae with her?"

"Only for a couple minutes- they were no big trouble. We were still able to get the bus to Jacksonville easily enough with time to spare for a quick snack. By the time we arrived though it was pretty rainy. I had to waste some ambrosia after a car nicked me after it skidded out, but found us a place to camp for the night right after. There were a couple storm spirits I had to get rid of before I could finish picking the lock though." One would think they were with the police given how persistent they were about attempting to fry me before I could break in.

"What are storm spirits exactly?" Asked Percy while Chiron was sending me a rather accusatory look. _And the penny drops- now he knows why I appeared to have been fighting with Nick during that I-M call._

"They are sort of like horses made from clouds and electricity." Annabeth could easily go into a more detailed explanation of the creatures given the chance, but they were not something I wanted to linger on right then. As it was, the memory of Chiron's words during that I-M were tugging at something in my mind that I couldn't identify yet.

"When they were gone we camped out in the bookstore until the next morning." I concluded before mentioning, "General notice too- I am never voluntarily going back to Jacksonville, or Orlando for that matter."

"Jacksonville I get, but why Orlando specifically?" Annabeth inquired once setting down her water bottle from taking a swig.

My eyebrow raised involuntarily, "Well, after ditching Jacksonville I jumped us to Orlando and ended up bumping into Persephone." Chiron appeared to be the most alarmed by this news compared the whole of the group. The old centaur probably had a bit more first hand experience with my siblings running into her in the past and knew more accurately the extent of what the results could be.

Everybody had winced at the mention of the goddess, even if Grover looked a bit awed as well.

"Seriously?" Percy this time.

I gave a noise of confirmation before deciding to elaborate. "My father had apparently sent her to give me something she claimed would help me on my journey. Catch was, if I actually wanted to receive it, I had to complete a task for her first. You can't really say no without repercussions, especially given who she is. The task amounted to me taking care of some skeletons that she had probably raised in the first place at one of the local cemeteries later that night. Another added fun factor was that she banned me from using any of my own weapons during the task. If failed, I wouldn't be given whatever she had been sent to deliver. Also, I am reasonably sure I would have been turned into a sunflower."

"At least it wasn't a guinea pig..." Percy muttered to my right and I heard a snicker come from Annabeth's direction.

"Guinea pig? Why would you-"

"Another time!" Percy broke in hastily before I could finish my question."So... uh, what happened with your task? You don't look like a sunflower to me, so I assume it worked out alright?"

He had a strange look on his face but I elected to not press the issue. Besides, Annabeth was bound to tell me about whatever _that_ was about eventually, if the grin on her face was any indication. _Well, that will be a good story for later._

"Right... well, basically yes. It did work out in its own way. Some teens I caught drinking will probably write it off as them getting too drunk and watching some zombie horror movie with the help of the Mist, but yeah. The skeletons rose all carrying some form of weaponry. Luckily I was able to steal one of their swords after... well I guess you could call it something like 'smiting' it. I have never done something like that before, but it worked all the same. Once I got my hands on a weapon it became a bit easier, but it still took a lot out of me to be honest. As I'm sure you've noticed, I never really use any powers that revolve more around the 'death' element of my father's realm. That is because they drain me _much_ more than other stuff." I paused my storytelling for a moment to catch my breath. When this was all over I knew I would fall asleep quickly, much of the energy I had awoken with already very depleted.

"Some skeletons I directly fought were sent back without needing to use any powers, and I was able to cause a bunch of them to fall into a crevice I opened. That still left nearly twenty aboveground, but luckily sending the dead away seems to be less taxing than raising them. Not by much granted- once I finally managed to be rid of them all I would have been utterly useless in a fight." That thought made me grimace even further. I really had gotten lucky that there was only that one wave of skeletons and no more decided to pop up for a visit.

Chiron, I realized, had not yet heard this part of my story. Contacting him as I was planned once reaching Miami to arrange a meet up had never happened. The last he heard from me was before even reaching Orlando itself.

"Wow, that really does sound like some _Night of the Living Dead_ stuff right there." Percy remarked and I noted that Grover had grown considerably paler through the tales of my graveyard misfortunes. _Understandable, he really did dread even the idea of traveling into the Underworld last year._

"Right? That's what I was thinking. Anyway, I met back up with Persephone afterwards and it turned out what she was sent to give me was this small bag of pomegranate seeds. The only explanation she gave was that I would 'know what to do with them when the time came' and 'dire need', which was very comforting. They actually reminded me of those pearls you were given on last year's quest, Percy. Then she gave me some comment about the weapons my father gave me being mine, and how it didn't hurt to change their form on occasion."

"Do you know what she meant by that?" Grover asked.

"Wait a moment, you mentioned earlier to me that you found out your knife could turn into a bracelet, is she how you discovered that?" Annabeth suddenly remembered, which made sense given as she was the only one in the Big House when she gave me back my swords.

I gave her a short nod. "Apparently so. I have had these weapons for years but only now have figured out they were capable of that." I lifted the wrist carrying both bracelets and gave them a bit of a shake for emphasis. "The necklace becomes a bracelet, and the sword's bracelet changes design. As I said, kind of sad I only know about it now, and from who as well, if you think about it."

"Sort of makes me wonder if Riptide can change too..." Percy did have a good point actually, but that could be experimented with later if we wanted to.

"Who knows? Maybe." I would have shrugged had my shoulder not still felt appalling."Pax and I took a train down the Miami the next morning, so that sums up Orlando."

Internally I knew that did _not_ simply sum up Orlando. My whole journey had been one trial after another, and not only had severely drained myself the night before in the graveyard, but I had woken to bring football tackled by a panther with wings straight into a wall. The pair of gryphons had truly attacked at one of the least opportune times. During my fight with them I was needlessly reckless and my slight breakdown afterwards only helped solidify how truly dreadful that whole day would be.

Recounting the journey I had taken alone now only reignited the thoughts I had running through my mind in that house.

The Fates have always been known to play with the lives of demigods since their conception, and yet recently my life has felt like one of their favorites to pull strings around and toy with to entertain themselves. I knew they have had some sort of heightened interest in my life ever since they appeared before us on that bus ride back from Yancy. Flickers of the dream I had before leaving Jacksonville prodded at the edges of my mind, still hidden from me but one that I knew held significance, even if it could not be fully recalled.

"What happened after that, child?" Chiron finally prompted and I was quickly dragged from my thoughts only to realize that I had been staring at him for an undetermined amount of time. His old eyes had been studying me just as I had him. Speaking to him privately, I decided, would have to be next on my task list. The information he has been skirting around, and what I have been dreading for over a year now had to be brought into the open.

Silently steeling myself for a moment before carrying on with my story I finally moved my gaze off of the centaur.

"I unboarded the train and immediately realized we were being followed. The plan had been to get in contact with you, Chiron, but that obviously did not pan out. Most of my energy had been used the night before, so I was unable to shadow travel out again. That resulted in becoming cornered in a park near the station. When that happened, I admit, I may have taunted Lycaon during that encounter and he didn't take it very well. I was able to send Pax away, but that's where I got these stupid claw marks on my shoulder from," I glared briefly down at the aforementioned shoulder, "and they brought me to the ship for the bounty after that."

"Allison, you know better than to rile up a monster like him even further, especially in such a situation." Chiron chided half-heartedly, although I could tell he was more displeased to hear what happened rather than my course of action.

"Wait a minute, back up. What is this about Lycaon and a bounty? Where did _that_ come from?" Annabeth sounded audibly agitated and if the prior atmosphere in the room was tense, then it was doubly so now.

"Lycaon and his pack were the ones that caused me to have to ditch the bus back in Baltimore. Luke put a hit out on me, so yeah, a bounty. That attracted the dracaenae in Charleston too."

"And you didn't mention this earlier because?" Percy's sharp voice bit in, and while usually it wouldn't be that way, I knew it came more from worry than anger.

Across from me Chiron quirked an eyebrow, and the unspoken _Yes, why didn't you?_ was not appreciated. My teeth ground together. "I omitted it earlier because there was no need to needlessly worry all of you even more than you already were. There is nothing that can be done about it now, and I killed a few of his pack at any rate. So, going back to the story." Obviously nobody appeared happy with this development, but it wasn't exactly thrilling for me either. It was what it was. "You remember the girl I slashed with my sword back on the ship? Her name is Fulvia, and she is pretty much Luke's right-hand person, so a player we have to watch out for. She is a daughter of Hecate- she undoubtedly has some tricks you have to be wary of in the future, and might have some sway over the other children of Hecate out there. Overall, we need to keep an eye on her- she's a formidable opponent." I was making a very conscious effort to stop myself from giving any visible indication anything more could have happened, yet the feeling that Chiron and at least Annabeth knew something more happened was there.

There was a few moments of silence as the room absorbed that information. Chiron then chose to raise another point of inquiry, proving once again that not much got past him. "Your shoulder wound, while the claw marks can be explained by Lycaon's presence, the poisoned stab wound cannot." My hand stilled on Pax's head.

"I had hoped you wouldn't bring that one up, so thanks for that." I glared briefly at Chiron, but my eyes drifted to steal a glance at Annabeth before moving to continue. Knowing her, she will most likely the most disturbed by the cause of that particular wound than the others. She had, after all, once upon a time been the closest with Luke out of the group. While she knew he had turned dark-side and made an attempt to kill Percy, it wouldn't be easy to hear. Swallowing heavily, I continued.

"That ties into why they put out the bounty on me. They wanted me there to question for information regarding the quest for the Fleece, and the camp." Involuntarily I paused. "Once, earlier in my visit, I almost escaped, but as you can tell, that didn't work. After that they smartened up, adding additional security measures. Fulvia and Luke came to question me a few times, and at one point I made Luke pretty pissed off. This," Nodding down at my shoulder. "Was from the knife I lodged in his shoulder last summer. Turned out the thing had some type of venom on it when he used it. Fulvia got mad and kicked him out after that for ruining their chances to get information. I was pretty much left alone after that. Pax showed up to bring me the pomegranate seeds sometime between then and when you all came along. Their purpose was likely to just help sustain me until help arrived. Pax stayed with me, then you got aboard, and you know the rest from there."

Silence permeated the room, the heavy load of information finally out in the open. Several minutes passed. During that time Chiron sent me a meaningful look that promised a conversation later. _Good._

"I'm going to kill him." Percy finally growled, voice taking on a menacing pitch. "Both of them."

"I knew he had change, but..." Annabeth trailed off.

Annabeth's face had paled considerably, Grover's right there with her.

"What... what was that thing Fulvia did when she pressed her fingers to your head?" Annabeth whispered softly after a minute.

Instantly I felt the ambient shadows in the room jump from my sudden spark of emotion at her question. Up until this point I had managed to stay more or less composed, but that final subject got to me in a way the others had not quite reached. I took a steadying breath. When I spoke my voice sounded decidedly hollow even to my ears. "As I said, Fulvia is a child of Hecate, and a decidedly twisted one at that. The exact magic is unknown, but the result is essentially causing a person to feel as if every nerve in their body is on fire." I stood sharply from my seat and all eyes were on me. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to try at some sleep. Goodnight and I am glad all of you made it out of your quest alright. See you tomorrow."

The only sound that could be heard as I exited the living room and ascended to the second floor were my own footsteps accompanied by four paws jumping off the couch. Pax ran ahead and waited for me at the top of the stairs, my pace aggravatingly slow. Any other explaining there was to do could be done another day. That was enough for the night and I was still angry at myself for letting all of this happen in the first place. Not only that, I was mad at the Fates, and tomorrow I would finally put my foot down and stop allowing Chiron to avoid the subject of what happened to my old friend once and for all.

* * *

When I woke the next morning from my restless sleep I found myself covered in sweat and my heart was beating out a pace faster than it should for one who had just been asleep. The night had not been overly kind in way of getting a dreamless sleep. Hours had been spent thinking and dreaming and waking on various occasions from resurfaced memories that had not plagued me for years. Pax was still dozing next to me on the bed, having resolutely stayed by my side throughout all my hours of tossing and turning. It was nice knowing she kept herself glued right beside me in any case.

Several minutes passed by with me simply lying there before grudgingly tugging off the blanket and sitting up. This day would not be an easy one, and likely I would have to deal with a whole camp that had paid witness to that Iris-Message sent from the _Princess Andromeda._ Thalia was owed an apology for sucker punching her, but in all honesty, speaking with a child of Zeus after all this time and with what I might hear today from Chiron... it would be easier said than done. The girl was important to Annabeth, so it was inevitable that I would have to speak with her at some point, regardless of my current hesitation.

With only one hand to run through my hair and a few minutes wasted spent futilely attempting to tie it up I finally stood and searched the room. The camp shirt I found resting in one of the draws was slightly wrinkled and took longer to change into whilst working around the sling than the shorts, but eventually it worked out and I crept my way downstairs.

The Big House was void of any person when I came to the ground level so I simply found some cereal and sat myself down at the kitchen table. Sunlight shone in through the window, campers already visible going about their morning activities outside. From what I could see, everyone looked significantly cheerier now that the camp was no longer in danger and the Fleece had healed the valley. With the oppressive sense of ill ease and sickness that permeated the valley at the start of the summer when Thalia's tree was poisoned, one did not have to be more finely in tune with death like I was to feel its wide-reaching effects. It probably helped that Tantalus was no longer terrorizing the camp. A brief look at the clock to check the time revealed that, if I was recalling the schedule correctly, Chiron would be back soon. His archery lessons shouldn't be in this upcoming hour so he had a free period. Pax was still asleep upstairs as far as I knew so it would leave just the two of us to talk, hopefully uninterrupted.

When I determined my breakfast to be finished and dumped the uneaten half I went to Chiron's office to wait. Inside there he would be unable to avoid me, and as I knew he usually preferred to do some bookkeeping after teaching that archery level's lesson, that is where he will be headed.

I paused at the threshold to take in the sight of the room. Most of the items he had packed away when leaving had found their way back to their regular places and his radio was in its rightful place after the Stymphalian bird attack at chariot races. It was almost as if nothing had changed, and yet so much had, especially since I first laid eyes on this office years ago. I shook myself out of my revelry and drifted to his desk. Sliding open the draw I took my trip funds from I rummaged around for what I was looking for.

"Still here." I breathed, my Chimera tooth necklace now back in my possession. I had judged correctly when leaving it here that it would remain safe: nobody would jump to ransack Chiron's office while he was gone. They respected him too much, even in the face of his exile. Once slipping the necklace back on I dug the rolling chair he kept for potential meetings out of the closet and sat myself down to wait.

* * *

Hardly ten minutes had passed until I heard the front door open and the steady sound of the wheels from his chair approaching from down the hall.

"We need to talk." I declared from my corner once the door clicked shut behind him, and looking at the old centaur I think I may have actually startled him slightly. I was hard pressed to see it clearly though, he was good at keeping those things discrete.

"Ah, hello Allison. I see you have beaten me here, I don't suppose you have chipped away at this month's bookkeeping duties, have you?" He idly asked while wheeling himself over to his desk and put some items away from his saddlebags before turning to face me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Right. Well, we are due for a talk, you are correct. Firstly though, how are you feeling this morning? We should see about changing those bandages soon, and a bit of ambrosia would not go unwelcomed, I suspect."

A sigh escaped me before I could restrain it. The obvious, if not expected delaying routines he had to get out of the way before we can get actually get to the conversation I wanted to have. There was a brief internal debate to say I was fine out of habit, but this was Chiron I was talking to. He could always see past my facade when I lied about things like this. "Shoulder still feels a bit acidic from Lycaon and overall I wouldn't be able to use this arm in a fight right now. Barring that, I really am just fairly sore and tired still."

A non-committal hum. "Yes, when I saw your shoulder I had feared it may have been one of his kind that caused such a wound, and given how long it has been taking to heal I felt it a safe assumption. The fatigue is to be expected though, I'm afraid."

"The venom-coated blade didn't help either."

There was a slight tensioning around his eyes at my remark. "No. No it did not."

We sat there for a few moments in silence before I spoke. "Do you ever get the feeling that the Fates just love messing with me especially?" There was a brief look of confusion on his face before I continued. "Bringing me here to this era. All the damn monsters on my trip. Apparently believing it to be funny for this type of thing to repeat itself _again_ when I am thirteen. No concrete answers for _anything_ that has happened to me since Chester drove that blade through my gut."

There was a visible flinch. "Allison, I know that things might be-"

"No! Don't try to defend them or offer an excuse, Chiron. You know as well as I do that everything about this is off- no, _wrong._ I shouldn't be here, not in this time, and certainly not in this way." My hand was clenched tightly around the end of the armrest, nails digging into the worn leather. Taking a deep breath I carefully released my grip on the chair. "Do you know what really got me thinking- even before getting trapped on that ship? The obscene amount of monsters, being incapable of even so much as getting a full night's rest without being sent through a window by a gryphon? That really brought home just how much I could have used even just _one_ quest partner. One that I could trust- that I knew would have my back so I wouldn't have to be on heightened watch twenty-four-seven. And when I was on that ship being _questioned_ about the Underworld until they could only keep me as some cheap bargaining chip, it struck me how stupidly similar it was to '43. That, and how I really could have used someone else to help me break out, like how Nick did back then, before it was too late. _Before_ I was practically dying _again._ "

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to keep some semblance of calm. Stiffly, I shifted my seat so I was leaning forward, my elbow resting on my knee. "Aside from those atrocities, and from not knowing why I am here and what makes _me_ so special, I realized that never got any clear answers from you about what happened to the person I gave my life for. All I received from you was dodging around the subject and I simply allowed it to happen for this long. Maybe it was because I was fearful of what you might tell me. Maybe it was because some part of me _didn't_ want to know at all because then it would become real, and any shred of hope I had been clinging onto would be lost. Hell, I never even asked what happened to Ms. Evans, and only definitively discovered what happened to my mother after I was gone from my father during the quest last year." I affixed him with a hard stare. _You will not avoid this._

"While I recognize it may be partly my fault, what I have concluded is that you _will_ tell me what happened now. This has been delayed long enough, by both of us."

Chiron was silent at first, his old eyes meeting mine with a depth only known to him. Weighing what his next words will be, and probably, attempting to gauge their potential impact... or the damage they could bring. There was a minute tremor in my hands and the tension in the room was palpable.

Finally, with a resigned sigh he seemed to come to a decision. He broke his observation of me to look down at his hands. "You are right, of course. You do deserve the truth, I realize that I have tried to shield you for too long from this."

His eyes met mine again and I could feel my heart increasing its tempo, my whole body tense. "After your passing, Nicholas was understandably distraught. Losing a friend such as yourself in that manner, it is not something I would wish for anyone, and yet I have unfortunately seen it happen too many times in my long years. He grew more reckless and distanced. Quite a few campers who were heard speaking ill of you found themselves on the receiving end of his ire, in fact, often with quite a few electrical burns. The more time passed, the greater his focus with the efforts to put the war to an end became. The following year he stayed here at camp, intent on doing all he could to help finish it."

The sorrow in Chiron's voice was damning, and he seemed to be searching for the right words. "When it did finally come to an end he left camp, leaving behind only your weapons with me for safekeeping, and a note."

No words would have been able to come from me right then even if I tried.

"In this note he simply told me that he was going to set things right, thanking me for all I have done for you two during the past years, and that he was going home. A few weeks later I got word from his mother that he had left home as well. Monsters had been after him and he claimed the need to keep moving. She informed me that when he left, the only indication he gave her of where he was going was 'west'. From there, I fear I truly do not know his fate. His mother reached out to me a few times after that, yet there was no change and we drifted out of contact since then. I am truly sorry, Allison, but that is all I know. He vanished and never came back." Chiron finished, voice heavy.

Completely frozen I sat there in that chair, world seemingly at a standstill. Chiron was watching me with the same air as if in the presence of a grenade with its pin pulled, about to go off. Maybe he was right to think that, a small voice in me seemed to say, but mostly I just felt hollow. There was sadness and anger, but it was overwhelmingly just this cold hollow feeling I had not felt to this magnitude since I discovered the date on the newspaper in my first week living at my new home.

If Nick had left that little house he shared with his mom that lay only a few miles from where I used to call home, then dropped off the radar from even _her_ after all these years... _Oh gods, why did you ever leave camp?_ I knew the answer to that question though, as I would not have wanted to stay here any longer than necessary had our positions been switched. A place filled with all the memories and some of the worst of the painful reminders.

As I sat attempting to absorb the enormity of this new information, a distant and blurry memory started to finally surface, shaking itself free finally and clearing itself. It had started when Chiron explained the note, or it could have even been during my retelling of my journey last night. Regardless, the dream I had the night I spent in Jacksonville, the one that had escaped me was one I finally found myself able to recall. The haunting images of a shroud burning accompanied by flashes of a lightning storm. Chiron reading a piece of paper, and a terribly sad look growing on his face as he did so.

The worst image from that dream were now there for me to have permanently burned into my memory, what had set me so on edge the following morning. A cloudy picture of a boy laying on a street, sword discarded at his side. The growing patch of red staining his already battered shirt and spilling onto the pavement growing larger and larger, thrown into sharp clarity. The sword. _The sword. I know that sword._ _I know that- I KNOW that sword!_ The sword that would always clash with mine in practices, the one I based my Cerberus one after. The one that unfailingly glinted with gold despite its nature. That would crackle with electricity during particularly interesting spars and in the most heated of battles. Its hilt became clearer in my mind as I recalled that terrible, devastating image, and the eagle that laid engraved on the cross guard became marred with the crimson surrounding it. _That_ was the sword was never-failingly held in the hand of my oldest ally and friend.

Was that what became of him? Had he been left to die on some random street, bleeding out and alone? That was the fate left to one of the bravest and kindest people I knew?

When I spoke my voice was a steely calm, my knuckles were pure white on the arm of my chair, and my tone scared even me. "So, you just left him to go off on his own. Knowing the state he was in, _knowing_ how it affected him, and now he is gone. _He is dead, Chiron._ "

Chiron did not respond immediately.

"Allison... Ni-"

The force from my abrupt standing caused the chair I had been sitting on to fly backwards in my wake and the shadows around the room all leaped to converge behind me. "No- do _not_ say it Chiron! Do not say how we don't know anything for let a woman lose her child, one who you once claimed you would do your best to help keep safe- did you even _try_ to locate him? Did you try to go after him, or even attempt stop him from leaving? Open your eyes, it has been sixty years since someone last heard from him _regardless_ of the dream I had during my quest! And do you want to know what that dream was? _I saw him,_ Chiron _._ I saw him as he died, bleeding out on some street somewhere, _utterly alone_! And you let it happen."

The door was slamming shut after me before I even realized I had left the room. Looking at him right then, I just could not do it. While I had been expecting something like that perhaps- something that would not be very comforting, but to be told that? With what I can now remember from my dream...

Around me the hallway was unnaturally dark. The shadows following and darkening to what was approaching the point of all outside light that shone in negated. That was, until, I forced them away to their normal positions as I stalked out the porch door.

I did not know exactly where I intended to go when I exited the building, all I knew was that I had to distance myself from there for now. Campers I passed hardly registered to me, only enough to know that some were looking oddly at me, and that I was leeching an aura of anger and malcontent. Their looks only added to fuel the fire when I remembered the Iris-Message they saw from the ship. In that moment I truly couldn't care what they might be thinking.

Apparently, I wanted to go to the arena, as that is where my feet led me. Working my anger out before something happened did appear to be a good idea before I caused damage to the camp, and hacking apart hapless training dummies felt like a fair solution.

A cabin training session was already in progress when I arrived so I merely bypassed the group I could not be bothered to look at, and went straight to the other side. When the dummies were within my grasp I yanked off my ring and activated my sword, steadfastly avoiding the sight of its engravings. The weapon felt heavier than usual, but it was in all likelihood due to my many weeks of inactivity. Any thought to being mindful of my shoulder did not even occur to me.

Unfortunately it was not too long before I felt myself tiring. My shoulder was voicing its strong displeasure at my actions, but that was not relevant. A brief breather felt needed though- I was panting, covered in sweat, and a mixture of straw and shredded canvas was littered at my feet. I stabbed my sword into the ground and leaned some weight onto it as I caught my breath. All I could think of was the horrible scene from my dream and what Chiron told me, both circling around and around again in my head with no stop.

"Aw, is the weakling tired out already?" A voice suddenly said from somewhere behind me. Slowly I turned to face the approaching camper. He was one I did not recognize well, but one that had arrived at camp early this summer and was currently sporting a stupid smile on his face. Behind him a few other campers who had been practicing stopped their work to watch the upcoming event.

"Big bad sword too much for you? Or wait, you just have to be tapped and you crumble, right?" He tauntingly mimed a pair of fingers on his forehead, pretending to scream and writhe, then burst out laughing.

"Beat it, imbecile. " I growled. The last thing I needed was some dumb Ares kid who embodied too much of his father for his own good to be getting me even more ticked than I already was.

"What are you gonna do, cry?" He laughed.

In a surge of motion I ripped my sword free from the dirt, swiped the kid's own sword from his hand in one deft move, and held my sword to his neck, silently daring him to make a move.

"You want to know something?" I hissed, sending an all Hades-kid-death-glare up to him. "I _really_ don't need this crap from some _scemo_ like you. You're new around here and act way too much like your father, but I just found out someone I cared about died in one of the worst ways possible, and quite honestly? I have had a crappy week. No scratch that, a crappy number of weeks. I would like to see you handle Lycaon and his entire pack, dracaenae, gryphons, storm spirits, and a frankly certifiable magic-user with a vendetta aboard a ship of full monsters, all within the span of a few days. See how you fair with that and get back to me." Sensing the shadows starting to seriously pull toward me I forced them to stay back before anyone could notice.

"Now," I pulled my sword away. "I am going to go back to dismantling dummies, so kindly _piss off._ " Faintly I recognized that for me to snap like that, I was truly beyond upset, yet I could not find it in myself to feel bad for my reaction to the kid.

Said kid was now looking at me fearfully, eyes cutting down to my sword, then to me, and back again. Before he could come up with some sort of reply another voice spoke- no, more like barked.

"David, don't speak, just go back to training." Clarisse was here now and almost glaring at her brother. He held out for a couple seconds before backing away and quickly walking to the other side of the arena. Clarisse watched him go before turning to face me.

"What?" I bit out more aggressively than strictly necessary.

She looked me up and down, taking in my appearance. "Cooper, take a knee. You've been out for weeks and are in no condition to be hacking things apart or making morons soil themselves."

That took me a moment to process what she was saying. Was _Clarisse_ actually attempting to be kind, and had she just somewhat complimented me as well? Perhaps in her own unique way. If she wanted me to stop my venting on the dummies though she had more coming to her.

"Look, I don't need your-"

"Allison!" Annabeth called as she jogged up behind the girl. Her eyes were wide and she looked as though she had just run from one end of camp to the other. "What are you doing here? You can't be fighting yet." She eyed Clarisse in a way that made it clear she was ready to go on the defensive for me if needed.

Clarisse saw this and held up her hands in a sort of _not me_ gesture. "I told her to take a knee." Then to me said, "Don't let me see you back here until that sling is at least gone, Cooper."

With that she turned and rejoined her cabin on the other side of the arena. Annabeth held her hand on her face for a long moment seemingly exasperated, then dropped it and closed the distance between us.

"Okay, what happened? You know better than to be doing this level of exercise so soon, especially if the remains of those training dummies are any indication. So, what made you this upset?"

The grip I had on my sword tightened even further and my hands trembled. Flashes of the dream and Chiron's words assaulted me with renewed vigor. _Will I ever be able to think about him now without seeing him dying like that?_ _Why did things end the way they did?_ A warm hand on my arm snapped me back to the present. Annabeth had stepped closer and I knew if I were to look up her grey eyes would be searching intently for any signs for the reason of my distress. Taking a deep breath in I sent a cursory glance around to be sure nobody was within hearing range of us.

 _Just tell her, she will understand._ "I finally got Chiron to tell me what happened to Nick. Annabeth..." My fingertips drifted over the engraving on my sword, running over the pattern found there, yet remembering another. "He just let him go- just up and leave after the war ended without trying to do anything. Nick went back home but had to go again, and he never came back. His mom never even heard from him again after that." The memory of him dying blocked all other thoughts, not that I could focus on anything but that grisly sight. "My dream... he bled out on some street somewhere, alone."

Finally, I dragged my eyes up to meet her. "My best friend died alone on a street without anyone knowing, nobody helping. Alone. No one was there for him, after all he had been through and all he had done, that was the end he met. He could have done something to help, stop him from leaving, but he is gone and Chiron let it happen."

* * *

 **AN:** It has been a long road to get to this point, but we are finally here. This chapter has been a killer for me to work on- major writer's block, primarily on the first half., along with several major 'Irl' things that have happened in the past, well, almost year. School has also started up again and let me just say- college level English papers are evil. I should in fact be working on my most recent one now, but I needed to get this finally published. I decided last month to just go for it and stop worrying so much about the first half of this chapter- it was really holding me back from getting the whole of it posted, and it was better to just have it out than to not and let the unfair wait progress any longer. So, since this is the end of Book 2, I will say that it has been an interesting time, and I could not have done it without the support I have received. Thank you to all who have stuck with me for this long, and have maybe even just started reading, but who have all helped and encouraged me to continue. _Book 3_ is still in the works, and just like last between-book period, I may post some shorts in the story collection I have in my 'My Stories' list. I will also not start posting _Book 3_ until I have reasonable enough finished, so as to avoid starting something I cannot conclude in a "reasonable" amount of time (Hopefully to avoid another major time gap like this one has experienced as well). My messages are still always open (try not to chew my head off with this chapter's revelations though) and I always do my best to get back to you asap if I see a message there. I do hope that you have had a good year and a good Halloween, for those who go out and celebrate it (And that you have been careful if you have gone out trick-or-treating to watch for cars). I will add that I never write something in this story without a reason. But, until next time, I hope you have a safe and happy time, and please remember to be kind to yourself and spread that kindness too -Tasha :)


End file.
